Zelenskyy visits the UAE and Qatar as Russia launches new attacks on Ukraine
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made unannounced visits to the UAE and Qatar to strengthen security ties and offer Ukraine’s drone defense expertise to Gulf Arab states amid the Iran war.
- Ukraine has signed 10-year security agreements with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with a similar deal expected soon with the UAE, focusing on defense cooperation, joint production, and investment.
- Ukraine is providing Gulf countries with battle-tested drone interceptor technology to counter Iranian drone attacks, while seeking advanced air-defense missiles from these partners to defend against Russia.
- Zelenskyy emphasized Ukraine’s integrated defense model against Iranian drones and dismissed U.S. claims that Kyiv has been pressured to concede territory to Russia, affirming ongoing negotiations for security guarantees.
- Russia launched over 270 drones overnight against Ukraine, causing casualties in multiple regions, while Ukraine’s drone strikes killed a child in Russia’s Yaroslavl region; both sides reported significant drone losses.
