Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Wednesday that he has agreed to send some of his military specialists to the Middle East to provide aid in countering Iranian drones and missiles — as long as it does not weaken their own homeland defense.
“All of them face a serious challenge and speak openly about it: Iranian attack drones are the same ‘shaheds’ that have been striking our cities, villages, and our Ukrainian infrastructure throughout this war,” Zelensky said.
Ukraine has become experts on Shaheds as Russia has used the drones for four years.
Zelensky is talking with partners in the U.S., Middle East and Europe in order to find alternatives to U.S. air defense systems, as he worries of a possible shortage of missiles because of Trump’s war with Iran.
“In just a few days, Iran has launched over 800 missiles of various types and more than 1,400 attack drones. It is Iranian drones and missiles that pose the main threat to free navigation, destabilizing global prices for oil, petroleum products, and gas,” he said.
“We are ready to help protect lives, defend civilians, and support real efforts to stabilize the situation and, in particular, restore safe navigation in the region,” he said.
Zelensky has been a vocal supporter of the recent U.S./Israeli air campaigns in Iran, and earlier supported the civilian uprisings in Iran.
Most of the anti-missile systems that combat ballistic missiles, notably Patriot and the Terminal High Altitude Area defense (THAAD) systems are made in America, and are the main defense systems being used in the Gulf and elsewhere.
Zelensky is sympathetic to the U.S. wanting to use more of their own defense system missiles, and is trying to prepare his commanders for shortages.
Zelensky said he does not expect Russian attacks by drones and other missiles to be affected by the US-Israeli attack on Iran – which has been a major supplier of Shaheds for the last four years – because Russia had moved much of its production of the Iranian weapons to its own territory.