Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that Ukraine has sent air defence specialists to three Middle Eastern countries to help counter Iranian drone attacks. The teams have been deployed to Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which have recently faced strikes involving Iranian drones.
Zelensky said the countries had turned to Ukraine because of its extensive experience intercepting Iranian-designed Shahed drones used by Russia during the war. Ukrainian forces have developed methods to counter them using a mix of tools.
In exchange for providing expertise, Kyiv hopes to secure additional air defence missiles from its partners. Ukraine has repeatedly warned of shortages, particularly for systems such as the MIM-104 Patriot, which it relies on to intercept ballistic missiles.
As Zelensky stated on social media:
Our team is now on its way to the Gulf region, where they can help protect lives and stabilize the situation. We see the challenges that exist now: the Iranian regime has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz - one of the main routes for supplying oil and gas to the global market. This is a major source of instability. No one in the world can yet say how long all of this will last, but it is important that the protection of life starts working effectively as soon as possible. Stability is important for us as well.
Those now seeking Ukraine's help must continue to assist our own defense - first and foremost, our air defense. Last year we already proposed a drone agreement to the United States. This is the right way forward: to partner with us in the production and use of drones, and everyone now sees that there is no alternative to this approach. Ukraine has the greatest experience in the world in countering attack drones, and without our experience it will be very difficult for the Gulf region, the entire Middle East, and partners in Europe and America to build strong protection.