Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Doha, March 28, 2026
Saturday’s Coverage: Rubio Denies US Demand for Kyiv to Give Up Donetsk Region
UPDATE 0738 GMT:
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak says Moscow will ban gasoline exports from April 1 to meet domestic demand.
The ban through July 31 comes amid the spike in gasoline prices because of the US-Israel War on Iran and the escalating toll of Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries.
Novak ordered the Russian Energy Ministry to prepare legislation for the prohibition. “The turbulence in the global market for crude oil and oil products, driven by the Middle East crisis, has led to significant price volatility,” he said.
About 40% of Russia’s oil export capacity has reportedly been halted because of Ukrainian drone strikes, tanker seizures, and damage to key pipelines.
ORIGINAL ENTRY: Continuing his tour of the Gulf States, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky signed defense cooperation agreements with the UAE and Qatar.
The pacts followed a similar arrangement during Zelensky’s meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Friday.
Zelensky announced on Sunday, “We are talking about a 10-year cooperation. We have already signed a relevant agreement with Saudi Arabia, We have just signed a similar agreement with Qatar, also for 10 years, we will sign one with the Emirates,”
I met with the Amir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani @TamimBinHamad, in Doha. The Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, was also present at the meeting.
We discussed issues that could further strengthen the protection of life in both… pic.twitter.com/33vWX3BvgA
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 28, 2026
Ukraine has bolstered its position in the Gulf with provision of anti-drone weapons and experts amid the US-Israel War and Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone strikes across the Gulf.
Zelensky told reporters in Qatar, “The first priority is weapons — their production, exchange of experience, and the exchange of scarce resources that one country may have and another lacks. During these 10 years, we will engage in co-production. We will build factories both in Ukraine and in these countries.”
He added, “If you want a high-level relationship with Ukraine, it’s not just drones. It’s our specialists. And the specialists are our soldiers.”
