Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Munich, Germany on February 15, 2025.
Shawn Gallup | getty images
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise visit to Saudi Arabia on Thursday and sought support for Kiev as the US is reportedly considering shifting military resources to the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran.
Zelensky met the saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman is in Jeddah to discuss rising military tensions in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian leader said he hopes to remain “Important Meetings” During this trip, as Kiev Offered its air-defense expertise and drone technology For countries in the region struggling with Iranian attacks.
More than 200 Ukrainian experts have been sent to Middle East countries to advise countries on how to prevent the attacks, which have wreaked havoc on energy infrastructure across the region.
Zelensky is hoping to drum up support from Gulf states in Kiev’s war against Russia, now in its fifth year and facing new uncertainty over Western military aid.
Iran’s Shaheed-136 ‘kamikaze’ drone has become a weapon of modern warfare, with Moscow using the technology in its years-long invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine has had some success in shooting down drones with combat jet cannon fire and has recently taken the lead in the development of cheap mass-produced interceptors.
In his maiden speech to the UK Parliament on March 17, Zelensky sought to draw parallels between the two Iran War and Kyiv’s fight with Russia.
“If, together with partners in the Middle East, we create a (military) system like Ukraine’s, they will be able to track attacks by Iran or the Houthis in real time, analyze them, keep improving their defense – giving real protection to people, critical infrastructure and trade routes,” he said.
Zelensky’s visit comes as the Pentagon is considering redirecting equipment and weapons intended for Ukraine to the Middle East, According to The Washington PostBecause conflict with Iran puts pressure on existing US munitions stockpiles.
There may be a specific operation that (Trump) has in mind, but unless you’re bringing in some very, very light units, it’s going to take a long time for us to get those troops on the ground.
Mark Kimmitt
Retired American general and former diplomat
The Trump administration was also considering sending another 10,000 troops to the Middle East, The Wall Street Journal reported Nearly 5,000 Marines and thousands of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division arrived in the area Friday.
The growing US military presence in the Middle East has raised concerns about a ground attack against Iran, although both sides have stuck to conflicting signals over potential peace talks. Trump insisted on Thursday that talks were going well, while Tehran denied any direct talks with the US
“All announcements regarding troop deployments will come from the War Department. As we have said, President Trump always has all military options at his disposal,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told CNBC in an emailed statement.
Ukraine is also facing renewed Russian attacks as US-backed peace talks stall, while Ukraine is struggling to secure new commitments from NATO allies to replenish stocks of US-made air defense interceptors capable of countering high-speed Russian ballistic missiles.
A significant €90 billion ($104 billion) EU loan package for ukraine has come under question even after Hungary vetoed Financial assistance.
Running a grassroots level campaign?
Military experts said the scale of additional troop deployment in the region appears to be in line with plans for isolated, time-limited operations rather than a sustained ground campaign.
Former Assistant Secretary of State Mark Kimmitt said Friday that the number of U.S. troops being sent to the region so far points toward targeted missions rather than a broader land war.
“There may be a specific operation that (Trump) has in mind, but unless you’re bringing in some very, very light units, it’s going to take a long time for us to get those troops on the ground,” the retired brigadier general told CNBC.Squawk Box Asia” on Friday.
A direct ground attack on Tehran, he said, would require at least two to three divisions – a scale of force that is neither in current planning nor the American public will tolerate.
More plausible scenarios, he suggested, were targeted higher-risk missions: a paratroop insertion on Kharg Island, the center of Iran’s vast exports of crude oil, or a Marine landing along the coast to gain control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Kimmitt said, “There are lots of different small-scale tactical operations that could be conducted – but nothing of strategic importance or operational scale that would indicate a ground invasion.”
Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Daniel Davis estimated Thursday that only 4,000 to 5,000 “trigger pullers,” or ground troops, were being deployed to the region.
Davis, a senior fellow at Defense Priorities and a military expert, told CNBC on Thursday, “I haven’t seen any evidence that even with a force of any size contemplated, you should be less alert, prepared, equipped or trained. It takes months to do that.”
— CNBC’s Dylan Butts and Sam Meredith contributed to this report.