• Ukraine and the UAE have agreed to enhance cooperation on defense.
• This announcement comes amid concerns over Iranian drone strikes.
• Zelensky emphasizes Ukraine's expertise in anti-drone technologies.
• Recent agreements also include discussions with Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Saturday that Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to cooperate on defense in response to increasing threats from Iranian drone strikes. During an unannounced visit to the UAE, Zelensky met with Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, stating they "agreed to cooperate in the field of security and defense," and that their teams would finalize the details of this cooperation, according to channelnewsasia and reuters.

This agreement comes on the heels of Zelensky's prior discussions with Saudi Arabia regarding a defense pact aimed at countering Iranian drone threats. Zelensky remarked that Ukraine’s expertise in downing Russian drones could benefit Gulf nations as it deploys anti-drone experts to help enhance regional security, as highlighted by lemonde and reuters.

Zelensky further emphasized the need for protection and stability, asserting, "Protection must be sufficient everywhere." He also proposed a potential exchange of Ukraine's interceptors for the more expensive air-defense missiles currently used by Gulf states, aiming to boost Ukraine’s capabilities against ongoing Russian missile attacks, as stated by channelnewsasia, reuters, and lemonde.