Ukraine is now assisting five Middle Eastern and Gulf nations in countering Iranian drone attacks, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Friday.
He also revealed that the United States and European countries have requested similar support, highlighting Kyiv's growing expertise in drone defence.
Mr Zelensky confirmed on X: "Our teams are already working with five countries on countering (Iran's) ‘Shahed’ drones — we have provided expert assessments and are helping build a defense system."
Ukraine has become a leading producer of cheap, effective, battle-tested drone interceptors, crucial in its defence against Russia’s four-year-old full-scale invasion.
Iran, a key ally in Russia’s invasion, signed a broad cooperation pact with Moscow last year.
Mr Zelensky has previously expressed a desire to exchange this expertise with Arab Gulf countries, targeted by Iranian Shahed drones, for advanced air defence missiles vital for Ukraine to counter devastating Russian aerial attacks.
Furthermore, Ukraine is exploring a potential role in restoring security in the Strait of Hormuz amidst the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
Kyiv fears it will get fewer of the sophisticated missiles it needs to fend off the Russian strikes as the Iran war burns through stockpiles.
Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council who led a delegation to the Middle East and Gulf this week, said that Ukraine has deployed interceptor units there to help protect civilian and critical infrastructure and is working to expand that protection.
He said on the Telegram messaging app that Ukrainian military specialists are operating in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan.
Ukraine is assessing further steps for long-term security cooperation with each of those countries, Umerov said.
Zelensky said in audio messages sent via WhatsApp in response to journalists’ questions that 228 Ukrainian experts are currently deployed in the region.
The US has asked for expert support for their military personnel in two areas of the region, Zelensky said, adding that Kyiv is also reviewing requests from European partners whose forces are based in the region.
Ukraine proposed to the US about a year ago a deal that includes interceptor drones, naval drones and long-range drones, Zelensky said.
The relationship between Washington and Kyiv on drone cooperation has been unclear.
Zelensky said last week that Ukraine was awaiting White House approval for an agreement on drone production. But a day later Trump spurned Ukraine’s offer of assistance, telling the “Brian Kilmeade Show” on Fox News Radio: “No, we don’t need their help on drone defense.”
Zelensky said late Thursday he has sent an official delegation to the United States in a bid to move forward suspended US-brokered talks on ending Russia's invasion.
The trilateral talks, which have yet to produce any breakthrough on key issues, have been on ice while the Iran war has dominated international attention.
The White House did not confirm any meeting with the Ukrainian delegation.
Zelensky said the main tasks in the US will be to ensure that the trilateral talks resume and that Washington continues to allow other NATO countries to purchase American weapons to send to Ukraine.
A senior Kremlin official indicated Friday that a new round of US-mediated negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv will likely take place soon.
“The pause is temporary, we hope it’s temporary regarding the continuation of the trilateral format,” he said.
Western European officials have over the past year repeatedly accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet in negotiations while he tries to press his bigger army’s battlefield initiative and capture more Ukrainian land. Russian forces hold nearly 20% of Ukraine.
The latest conflict in the Middle East that began Feb. 28 with Israeli and US strikes on Iran has diverted international attention from Ukraine’s plight.
At the same time, Russia is getting a financial windfall from a temporary US waiver on oil sanctions while Ukraine is desperately short of cash and still waiting for a 90-billion-euro ($103 billion) loan promised by the European Union.
Putin is widely expected to launch new offensives as the weather in Ukraine improves, piling further pressure on Kyiv.
Zelensky claimed that Ukrainian counterattacks have disrupted a planned Russian offensive expected in early spring.
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