Ukraine Offers Middle East a Playbook for Sea Safety

Ukraine’s president recently pitched an idea at a global video meeting: teaming up to keep ships safe in the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that sees a huge chunk of the world’s oil pass through. He argued that how countries handle Hormuz now could set a pattern for other hotspots later. “If we don’t act clearly now, we might end up facing the same messy situation we still see in Gaza, ” he said, stressing the need for concrete steps rather than vague promises. He pointed out that wartime Ukraine already has practical experience in securing sea routes. For four years, Russian forces have tried to block Ukrainian ports, shut down shipping lanes, and target cargo ships. Yet Ukraine kept trade moving by escorting vessels, removing underwater mines, fending off air strikes, and coordinating complex naval operations. “We didn’t just talk about it, ” he said. “We did it. ”Beyond its own waters, Ukraine has shared lessons with several Middle Eastern countries hit by Iranian-made drones. Specialists trained by Ukraine now help defend ports and refineries in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Talks are underway with Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain to extend this cooperation even further. The proposal raises a key question: Can a nation that has spent years fighting a major invasion offer a realistic model for maritime security halfway across the world? Some experts wonder whether the Black Sea experience translates smoothly to the Persian Gulf. Others note that local conflicts, regional rivalries, and global powers’ interests make Hormuz a far tougher puzzle than Odesa’s waters. Still, the offer shows how one country’s wartime know-how can turn into an unexpected diplomatic tool. Whether the world will use that tool remains to be seen.