Ukraine to Deploy Military Advisors to Gulf States for Drone Defense Training and Sales

Ukrainian Military Experts Head to the Persian Gulf

According to Главком: Ukraine is dispatching military experts to nations in the Persian Gulf to provide training on how to shoot down drones. The first group of Ukrainian advisors and military personnel is scheduled for deployment on March 9. Concurrently, the sale of Ukrainian interceptor drones is under discussion, with three countries having already expressed readiness to purchase them. This initiative leverages Ukraine's hard-won, real-world expertise in countering unmanned aerial threats.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that the stockpile of drones not currently in use by Ukrainian forces is substantial.

"The volume that our own forces are not using, we are ready to sell. It is, in principle, quite large. Three countries are definitely ready to buy," Zelenskyy emphasized.

He further added that

"with the appropriate protective capabilities, they will be sent-as I told you. Much is being discussed in this dialogue. It is too early to talk about other details for now. I think next week, when the experts are on the ground, they will help. Because they are traveling with the capabilities to assist."

International Context and Reactions

These moves by Ukraine come against a backdrop of escalating military activity in the Middle East. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi criticized such actions during a press conference as part of the annual "Two Sessions" meetings in Beijing. Separately, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that, according to his information, Iran itself bears responsibility for a strike on a school in the Iranian city of Minab on February 28.

Consequently, Ukraine's initiative to train military experts and the potential sale of interceptor drones mark a significant step in its cooperation with Gulf states, given the current security situation in the region. These steps could help strengthen the defensive capabilities of Ukraine's partners and elevate its role on the international stage, where security concerns are growing increasingly urgent amid rising global tensions.