Ukraine has reached "historic agreements" with Gulf countries on security cooperation, including strengthening air defense and developing the defense industry, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

He said this in his evening address, Ukrinform reports.

"It has been a very fruitful visit to the Middle East and the Gulf region. You can really feel the positive attitude toward Ukraine – toward our warriors and our expertise. There is great respect for Ukraine, and I am grateful to the leaders for that. There is a shared vision among the countries of the region to work together with our state, with our defense, and with our experts. Security and restoring stability are the top priorities for everyone. And every nation deserves to live in peace. There are already agreements in place – landmark agreements: Ukraine and Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. We are also working with Jordan and Kuwait," Zelensky said.

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He added that Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, is continuing work in the region and regularly reports on the progress of negotiations.

"He reported to me today – and there are already additional requests from Bahrain and Oman," Zelensky said.

He stressed that for Ukraine this is not only a matter of prestige and respect, but also concrete, practical outcomes.

"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," Zelensky added.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine