The Daily Populous Sunday March 29th, 2026 night edition
Authored by kyivindependent.com and submitted by AndroidOne1

Ukraine is signing 10-year defense partnerships with three Gulf countries as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran enters its second month and shows no sign of slowing down.

President Volodymyr Zelensky signed an agreement with Qatar on March 28, the day after his visit to Saudi Arabia where he secured a deal with Riyadh. Another agreement with the UAE will be inked in the coming days, Zelensky told reporters at a press briefing during his visit to Qatar.

"The first priority is weapons — their production, exchange of experience, and the exchange of scarce resources that one country may have and another lacks," he said.

"During these 10 years, we will engage in co-production. We will build factories both in Ukraine and in these countries."

In turn, the Ukrainian leader discussed long-term energy cooperation with the three countries. Ukraine’s energy sector is under constant attack from Russia while Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz sent fuel prices through the roof.

After the last brutal winter revealed massive oversights in the energy sector, Kyiv is already preparing for the next heating season.

Zelensky didn’t reveal anymore details about the 10-year agreements. But he stressed that Ukraine’s expertise goes beyond just drone production — it also includes Ukrainian soldiers' four-years of experience countering Russian aerial attacks as well as Ukraine’s electronic warfare systems.

Gulf leaders have looked to Ukraine for support after Iran launched missiles and drones at its neighbors following U.S and Israeli strikes on Tehran on Feb. 28.

Zelensky is leveraging Ukraine's air defense expertise to shore up support as the U.S. looks to divert resources to its aerial campaign on Iran, alarming Kyiv.

Ukrainian soldiers have been helping defend the UAE from Iranian air attacks over the last few weeks. And training programs are also on the table as part of the 10-year partnerships, Zelensky said.

"If you want a high-level relationship with Ukraine, it’s not just drones. It’s our specialists. And the specialists are our soldiers," Zelensky said.

Twoparrotparty on March 28th, 2026 at 20:20 UTC »

You can’t trust the USA with Trump in power, this is a genius move from Zelensky, this at least will contribute to helping beat Putins shitty land grab.

ContributionUpper424 on March 28th, 2026 at 19:38 UTC »

It’s a win-win situation for both sides. Modern warfare has shifted beyond expensive hardware, and Ukraine’s drone knowledge is valuable as Iranian Shahed drones strain Gulf economies.

AndroidOne1 on March 28th, 2026 at 19:25 UTC »

News snippet: Ukraine is signing 10-year defense partnerships with three Gulf countries as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran enters its second month and shows no sign of slowing down.

President Volodymyr Zelensky signed an agreement with Qatar on March 28, the day after his visit to Saudi Arabia where he secured a deal with Riyadh. Another agreement with the UAE will be inked in the coming days, Zelensky told reporters at a press briefing during his visit to Qatar.

"The first priority is weapons — their production, exchange of experience, and the exchange of scarce resources that one country may have and another lacks," he said.

"During these 10 years, we will engage in co-production. We will build factories both in Ukraine and in these countries."

In turn, the Ukrainian leader discussed long-term energy cooperation with the three countries. Ukraine’s energy sector is under constant attack from Russia while Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz sent fuel prices through the roof.

After the last brutal winter revealed massive oversights in the energy sector, Kyiv is already preparing for the next heating season.

Zelensky didn’t reveal anymore details about the 10-year agreements. But he stressed that Ukraine’s expertise goes beyond just drone production — it also includes Ukrainian soldiers' four-years of experience countering Russian aerial attacks as well as Ukraine’s electronic warfare systems.