Saudi Arabia has turned to Ukraine to counter Iranian drone and missile attacks, reportedly signing a contract and negotiating a separate “huge deal” that could be finalized this week.
Through a Saudi arms firm, the Gulf Kingdom procured Ukrainian-made interceptor missiles and is in talks for a large arms deal, according to the Kyiv Independent, as Tehran launches retaliatory strikes against US bases and infrastructure across Gulf states following US and Israeli-led attacks on the Islamic Republic.
Deploying million-dollar weapons, such as Patriot missiles, against Iran’s cheap and lethal drone swarms highlights a growing cost asymmetry and an unsustainable defense strategy — leading Gulf states to seek systems designed specifically to counter such threats.
Ukraine’s Expertise
Given Kyiv’s combat experience against Iranian-designed Shahed loitering munitions used by Moscow, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered Gulf states the country’s domestically developed drone interceptors in exchange for PAC-3 missiles.
Ukraine has produced several technologies built to counter Shaheds, including a $5,000 first-person view drone and a Zerov‑8 vertical takeoff and landing interceptor.
This week, Kyiv sent three air defense teams to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, as well as specialists to a US military base in Jordan, to share their expertise in countering aerial attacks from Iran, as per Reuters.
But despite the potential opportunity to obtain PAC-3 missile interceptors, which it faces a critical shortage of, Ukraine maintains a tightly restricted arms export policy and keeps its interceptor technology highly secret.
It is also cautious about working too closely with Gulf countries due to the strong political and economic influence of Russia and Iran in the region, said Chief Analyst Bohdan Popov of Triada Trade Partners, a Kyiv-based Ukrainian defense advisory and investment company.
However, the region’s fast and flexible defense deals still make them attractive partners for Ukrainian arms companies.
