President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that Ukraine will export weapons to Middle Eastern countries under new 10-year deals and assist in opening the Strait of Hormuz, in a remarkable bid to position Kyiv as a major arms exporter and security provider beyond Europe.
The announcement represents geopolitical opportunism of the highest order—Ukraine is leveraging its wartime experience to gain strategic influence and economic partnerships in the Persian Gulf precisely as European NATO allies refuse to support American operations there.
Ukraine's defense industry has expanded dramatically since 2022, driven by wartime necessity and massive international investment. The country now produces artillery ammunition, anti-tank missiles, electronic warfare systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles at industrial scale.
