Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that he had arrived in Saudi Arabia and would hold "important meetings", part of an effort to bolster ties with Middle East countries amid the Iran war.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy meets Deputy Governor of Makkah Region Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz during his visit to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, March 26, 2026. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that he had arrived in Saudi Arabia and would hold "important meetings", part of an effort to bolster ties with Middle East countries amid the Iran war.
Kyiv is offering its air-defence expertise and drone technology to countries in the region reeling from Iranian strikes. It hopes in return, Zelenskiy has said, for support in its war against Russia.
"Arrived in Saudi Arabia. Important meetings are scheduled. We appreciate the support and support those who are ready to work with us to ensure security," Zelenskiy wrote on X.
Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, accompanied Zelenskiy on the visit.
Ukraine has sent teams of experts to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, Zelenskiy said recently, and wants money and technology in return for the assistance.
With the war against Russia now in its fifth year, Ukrainian forces face a new spring offensive by Moscow as U.S.-backed peace talks have stalled.
Reporting by Yuliia Dysa
Saudi Arabia and Syria signed a cooperation agreement between the two countries' defense ministries on Wednesday, Saudi state news agency SPA reported, as Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group continues its missile and drone attacks on the kingdom.
Turkey's parliament is set on Wednesday to ratify a defence pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan that includes a collective defence clause, committing NATO's second-largest army to Riyadh's defence as it faces attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis.
Iran and the United States are still far from a deal to end their war, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday, as US President Donald Trump declined to rule out a resumption of US combat operations after the elections in the United States.
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