politics
Ukraine Expands Diplomacy in Middle East and Caucasus Through Arms Sales
Ukrainian officials have increased visits to Gulf states and countries in the Caucasus since the start of the conflict in Iran. The trips aim to highlight military technologies and combat experience developed since the Russian invasion of February 2022. Le Monde reported that the shift represents one of the most significant changes in Ukrainian foreign policy in four years.
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Ukrainian officials have made frequent visits to countries in the Middle East and the Caucasus over the past two months. These trips, including one to Bahrain on May 5, 2026, have become routine as the conflict in Iran creates new diplomatic openings. Kyiv has sought to build partnerships beyond its traditional focus on European governments and Washington.
The diplomatic expansion centers on showcasing technologies and expertise gained during more than four years of high-intensity warfare against Russia. Officials present Ukraine's real-time combat experience as valuable to regional states preparing for potential escalation. The conflict in Iran has altered the regional status quo, according to one former official.
"The status quo in the Middle East is over," said Pavlo Klimkin, former Ukrainian foreign minister from 2014 to 2019. "The entire region now realizes it must prepare for unpredictable forms of escalation.
For years, Kyiv concentrated its diplomatic efforts almost exclusively on securing support from Europe and the United States. The current regional upheaval has prompted officials to seek new relationships with Gulf states and countries in the Caucasus. Arms sales form a central element of the strategy.
By offering its developed military technologies, Ukraine aims to forge partnerships with nations in the region. The approach allows Kyiv to broaden its diplomatic horizon while demonstrating the practical value of its wartime innovations. The visits have included stops in Riyadh, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Amman, Damascus, Baku and Yerevan before the May 5 trip to Manama.
