The United States has asked Ukraine for help fending off Iranian Shahed drones in the Middle East, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday.
“We received a request from the United States for specific support in protection against ‘shaheds’ [sic] in the Middle East region,” Zelensky wrote on X. “I gave instructions to provide the necessary means and ensure the presence of Ukrainian specialists who can guarantee the required security.”
“Ukraine helps partners who help ensure our security and protect the lives of our people,” he added.
In a statement on Wednesday, Zelensky said that consultations with Ukraine’s allies in Europe, the United States, and the Middle East were already underway. “Ukraine can contribute to protecting lives and stabilizing the situation,” he wrote on X. “Our military possesses the necessary capabilities. Ukrainian experts will operate on-site, and teams are already coordinating these efforts.”
Russia has been actively attacking Ukraine with Shahed drones since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. On Thursday, the Financial Times reported that the Pentagon and at least one Gulf state are in talks to buy Ukrainian-made interceptor drones to defend against Iranian Shaheds.
According to Zelensky, these attack drones are already posing a “serious challenge” for U.S. allies in the Gulf as the war in the Middle East escalates. On Wednesday, CNN reported that U.S. air defense may not be able to intercept Iranian attack drones at all.
On Monday, Zelensky told Bloomberg that he was prepared to send Ukrainian experts skilled in shooting down Iranian drones to the Middle East in exchange for Gulf leaders convincing Russia’s Vladimir Putin to implement a month-long truce in Ukraine.
