Kyiv, Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine wants funding and technology in return for helping Middle Eastern nations defend against Iranian-made kamikaze drones. He said Kyiv has sent specialists to four countries in the region.
Teams deployed for assessments and demonstrations
Zelenskiy told reporters in comments cleared for release on Sunday that each of the three teams sent to the Middle East consisted of dozens of people. He said they will conduct expert assessments and demonstrate how drone defences should operate.
Regional demand for drone defence expertise
Gulf states have expended large quantities of air-defence missiles to counter Iran’s attack drones and have sought Ukraine’s expertise in downing them. Zelenskiy said Ukraine downs Russian drones every night using an array of weaponry including cheaper, smaller drones or jamming equipment.
Zelenskiy has said that almost a dozen countries across the world have sought help from Ukraine on how to counter these attacks.
Countries visited and scope of assistance
Zelenskiy said earlier this week that teams had been sent to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Another official said specialists had also been to a U.S. military base in Jordan.
“This is not about being involved in operations. We are not at war with Iran,” Zelenskiy said. “This is about protection and a thorough, complete assessment on our part of how to counter the Shaheds,” he added, referring to Shahed drones developed by Iran.
Compensation and possible U.S. drone cooperation deal
Zelenskiy said what Ukraine will get in return for the assistance still needed to be discussed. “Honestly, for us today, both the technology and the funding are important.”
He also said he was unsure whether Ukraine and the U.S. would sign a deal on drone co-operation, which Kyiv has sought to agree for months.
What form of funding or technology should Ukraine prioritise in exchange for its drone-defence assistance?