Published: March 28, 2026, 10:00 PM
Last Updated: March 28, 2026, 11:28 PM
Reading Time: 2 minutes – Video: 2 minutes
Volodymyr Zelensky traveled to Qatar on Saturday, March 28th. The Ukrainian president is bringing his country’s industrial and technological expertise in fighting Shahed drones. 200 Ukrainian experts are present in the Gulf countries.
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Volodymyr Zelensky was welcomed by the Emir of Qatar in person, with honors, at one of the most prestigious palaces in the country. The two men signed a historic defense agreement on Saturday, March 28th. Kiev will sell arms to Doha to help intercept Iranian kamikaze drones. “We are talking about a ten-year cooperation. We have already signed an agreement to this effect with Saudi Arabia and will soon sign another with the United Arab Emirates, also for ten years,” said the Ukrainian president.
Since the start of the war in the Middle East, Gulf countries have been almost daily targets of Iranian drones called Shahed, similar to those used by Russia to target Ukraine.
To counter this, Kiev has developed new tools, including an interceptor drone capable of neutralizing Shahed drones in mid-air. It can reach speeds of 310 km/h and fly up to 9,000 meters altitude. It is a formidable weapon, and cost-effective, priced at only $1,000, attracting Gulf countries. “The systems proposed by the Ukrainians will cost between $1,000 and $3,000, whereas we have missiles that cost between one and three million dollars, or we need to deploy fighter jets which alone cost the price of ten interceptor drones per flight hour,” highlights Xavier Tytelman, aviation and defense consultant.
Volodymyr Zelensky hopes to find new allies against Russia through these agreements, obtaining arms deliveries and financial support.
