Khaberni - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Friday the signing of a military cooperation document between his country and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during his visit to the Kingdom where he was received by the Saudi Crown Prince, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in Jeddah.
Zelensky said in a statement on his social media accounts: "We have reached an important arrangement between the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Defense in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding defense cooperation. This document was signed just before our meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince, Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud."
He explained that it "lays the groundwork for future contracts, technological cooperation, and investment, and also enhances Ukraine's international role as a contributor to security."
He added: "We are ready to share our experiences and systems with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to work together to enhance the protection of lives."
He continued, saying: "In their fifth year now, Ukrainians continue to counter the same kind of terrorist attacks – represented by ballistic missiles and drones – currently carried out by the Iranian regime in the Middle East and Gulf region," in reference to the Russian attack on Ukraine.
Zelensky confirmed that "the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also possesses capabilities that are of interest to the Ukrainian side, making this cooperation mutually beneficial for both parties."
He added: "We also discussed the situations in the Middle East and the Gulf region as a whole, the support that Russia provides to the Iranian regime, current developments in the fuel markets, and potential cooperation prospects in the energy sector."
In the meantime, the official Saudi Press Agency reported that during the meeting between the Crown Prince and the Ukrainian President, "the bilateral relations between the two countries were reviewed, and the developments of the regional and international situations were discussed, including the military escalation in the Middle East, and updates on the Ukrainian crisis."
