Ukraine to help open Strait of Hormuz as part of Gulf weapons deals, Zelensky says
Ukraine will supply weapons and defense technology, including systems that can help unblock the Strait of Hormuz, to Gulf countries under new agreements, President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters on March 30.
"All agreements that will be legally formalized are extremely important for our country," Zelensky said. "Ukraine has never had such agreements with this region before."
Ukraine will also apparently offer sea drones as part of its defense of the shipping corridor in the Persian Gulf. In peacetime, about 20 % of the world's oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz. In response to U.S.‑Israeli military assaults, Iran closed the strait, sending global oil prices skyrocketing.
Zelensky framed Ukraine's experience keeping shipping lanes in the Black Sea open as a component of the Gulf deals.
"The experience of unblocking sea trade routes with the help of among other things, sea drones – could this experience help unblock the Strait of Hormuz?" Zelensky said. "They know that they can count on our expertise in this area, and we spoke in detail about sharing our experience of the Black Sea corridor and how it functions."
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Zelensky's statement follows his visits to Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, where the governments signed deals for Ukrainian defenses.
The details of these agreements have remained largely out of the public eye, though Zelensky has touted sending Ukrainian air defenders to the Middle East.
Russia sends Iranian‑designed Shahed drones and Russian‑made copies in swarms of hundreds over Ukraine nightly.
In response, Ukraine has developed much cheaper forms of air defense than the systems that Gulf nations have stocked up on. When Iran retaliated by launching Shaheds across the Middle East, interest in Ukrainian air‑defense systems, particularly interceptor drones, shot up.
According to Zelensky, the agreements are set to last at least 10 years with each country and cover the export of Ukrainian weapons, including naval drones, electronic warfare, and software. At least part of the Gulf's end of the deal will be in the form of energy supplies.
"Without a doubt we are talking about energy support from the side of the leaders of Gulf nations. We are not just counting on this, we have agreements," Zelensky said.
Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council Secretary, remains in the Middle East to continue political negotiations, including requests from Bahrain and Oman, Zelensky later said.
"We are exporting our system of protection, the skills of our warriors, the knowledge that our state possesses. And from these countries — from our partners — we expect reciprocal security engagement. We have already agreed on opportunities to strengthen air defense, on the joint development of defense production, and on energy cooperation, including diesel and other critical supplies that we need right now," he added.
