Ukraine war latest: Saudi Arabia prepping 'huge deal' for Ukrainian weapons amid Iranian drone threat

War Ukraine war latest: Saudi Arabia prepping 'huge deal' for Ukrainian weapons amid Iranian drone threat March 10, 2026 9:10 pm • 6 min read by The Kyiv Independent news desk Key developments on March 10: Saudi Arabia prepping 'huge deal' for Ukrainian weapons amid Iranian drone threat Ukraine strikes missile control systems plant in Russia's Bryansk Oblast, Zelensky says Ukraine retakes most Russian-held areas in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast after weeks of counterattacks Ukraine to get 35 Patriot interceptors in coming weeks, German media reports A Saudi Arabian arms company has signed a deal to buy Ukrainian-made interceptor missiles, the Kyiv Independent has learned , with one source within Ukraine's defense industry saying that Riyadh and Kyiv are negotiating a separate "huge deal" for arms that could be finalized this week. Iran’s recent air attacks across neighboring Gulf States amid the U.S. and Israel-led war against Tehran have kicked off a scramble for military equipment to combat ballistic missiles and Shahed attack drones. While cost-effective against expensive missiles, air defense interceptors like the U.S.-made Patriot cost millions of dollars — making them an unsustainable way to shoot down cheap drones built en masse for tens of thousands of dollars a piece. Two sources within Ukraine's defense industry who asked to remain anonymous to discuss non-public negotiations told the Kyiv Independent that major contracts were up for discussion between the governments of Ukraine and Saudi Arabia. One of the sources told the Kyiv Independent to expect a "huge deal" between Saudi Arabia and Ukraine as soon as March 11. The other told the Kyiv Independent that a contract for Ukrainian-made air defense missiles had just been signed, with a Saudi arms maker acting as a local intermediary. The Kyiv Independent contacted the Saudi Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Saudi Embassy in Kyiv, but did not receive a response by the time of publication. read also Ukraine strikes m...