Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Gulf nations highlights the growing link between the Ukraine war and tensions with Iran, as both regions face Iranian drone and missile threats. By sharing Ukraine’s counter-drone expertise, Kyiv is strengthening ties with partners like Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia.
Seth J. Frantzman of The National Interest emphasizes that Russia and Iran’s close cooperation, especially in drone warfare, connects these conflicts, shaping a broader global security landscape and influencing shifting alliances and power dynamics. Frantzman writes:
On March 28, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky traveled to the Persian Gulf for meetings with countries that have been under Iranian drone and missile attacks for a month. In the UAE, he met with President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and in Saudi Arabia, he met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He also went to Qatar. The trip highlights how the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran are linked. In both conflicts, Iranian-designed drones have played a key role. […]
Iran’s drones have proven beneficial to Russia. The delta-wing-shaped Shahed-136 has provided Moscow with cheap, expendable drones to fling at Ukraine and overwhelm its defense. […]
For Ukraine, this is also a matter of principle: terror must not prevail anywhere in the world. Protection must be sufficient everywhere. That is why we are open to joint work that, in a strategic perspective, will certainly strengthen our peoples and the protection of life in our countries.”
Zelensky added that “unfortunately, have been under daily attack for four years of full-scale war. Ukrainians have developed an appropriate protection system that delivers a significant interception rate against enemy drones and missiles. This systematic approach and integration of experience is exactly what we are offering to our partners.” […]
Neither region, Europe nor the Middle East, is a vacuum. Weapons used on one battlefield inform decisions on another. At the G7 meeting in France on March 27, the wars in Iran and Ukraine were both a focus of discussion. […]
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