Ukraine wants financial and technological support in exchange for the assistance it provides to Middle Eastern countries in defending themselves against Iranian kamikaze drones. This was stated by the Ukrainian president. Volodymyr Zelensky, while Kyiv recently sent several teams of experts to the region to share its experience in combating this type of weapon.
According to Zelensky, three Ukrainian teams were deployed to conduct technical assessments and demonstrate the functionality of anti-drone defense systems. These specialists were sent to several Gulf countries, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, as well as to a US military base in Jordan.
The Ukrainian president, however, insisted that his country was not involved in military operations in the region. "This is not about participating in operations. We are not at war with Iran," he told reporters.
Kyiv hopes, however, to transform this technical cooperation into broader partnerships. Volodymyr Zelensky indicated that discussions could lead to more structured agreements concerning drone and air defense technologies.
The exact terms of these agreements are still to be defined. The Ukrainian leader did, however, specify that Ukraine expected significant concessions in return for its assistance. "For us today, both technology and financing are important," he stated.
Gulf states have intensified their defenses against Iranian-made Shahed drones, which have been used in several recent attacks in the region. Ukraine has significant experience countering these aircraft, which it has fought regularly since the beginning of the Russian invasion, notably through a combination of less expensive drones, electronic jamming systems, and air defense missiles.
