The countries are negotiating a large-scale defense agreement, which can be concluded in the near future.
Kyiv Independent writes about this, citing a source in the Ukrainian defense industry, informs the portal PromPolitInform.
Thus, Saudi Arabia is negotiating with Ukraine on the purchase of interceptor drones and may conclude a multimillion-dollar defense deal in the near future.
According to the interlocutor of the publication, the parties are discussing a large-scale agreement on the supply of weapons, which can be concluded this week. Other sources said that we are talking about large contracts between the governments of both countries.
One of the sources noted that the “great agreement” between the states could be signed on March 11.
As for the contract for Ukrainian interceptor drones, according to sources, it has already been signed, and the local intermediary was a Saudi arms manufacturer.
The chief analyst of the consulting company Triada Trade Partners Bogdan Popov noted that the Gulf countries are increasingly interested in Ukrainian defense technologies.
“Given the events in Iran, many Gulf countries are interested in exporting from Ukraine, acquiring technology or hiring Ukrainian instructors. But, as far as I know, the decision on export has not yet been made, although the ambassadors of the Gulf countries have already appealed to our government with a proposal to start negotiations,” Popov said.
The Wall Street Journal also reports on the preparation of a major defense deal. According to two sources of the publication, in addition to interceptor drones, Saudi Arabia is negotiating the purchase of Ukrainian electronic warfare systems.
According to them, the potential deal is estimated at millions of dollars, but has not yet been finally signed.
Ukraine offers US assistance
On March 10, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Ukrainian military and NSDC Secretary Rustem Umerov were heading to the Persian Gulf region, where Ukraine could help partners strengthen protection against drones.
According to Zelensky, Ukraine last year offered the United States cooperation in the field of drones, stressing that the joint production and use of drones is “the right prospect.” However, according to Axios, the Trump administration actually ignored this proposal, which later regretted.
On the same day, the president said that Ukraine had already sent three teams of experts to the Middle East to help fight Iranian drones. The first countries where Ukrainian specialists went were Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
In addition, according to Zelensky, Ukraine is discussing with partners in the Middle East the possibility of supplying missiles for air defense systems in exchange for cooperation in the field of drones. In particular, it was about the PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles.
Earlier, Bloomberg reported that Zelensky offered to send Ukrainian specialists to the Middle East to combat Iranian drones if their leaders could convince Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a month-long truce in the war against Ukraine.
Photo – OP
