President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine will send drone specialists to the Middle East this week as Kyiv seeks to trade its expertise in countering Iranian-designed drones for additional US-made air defense missiles.
Speaking Sunday, Zelensky said Ukrainian experts would travel to the region to assess how Ukraine’s experience fighting drone attacks could help partners there, as Kyiv grapples with shortages of advanced air defense ammunition.
“I think that next week, when the experts are on site, they will look at the situation and help,” Zelensky said after a meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten.
The New York Times cited a Friday evening interview with Zelensky on a train ride back from eastern Ukraine, in which he said “Ukraine has sent interceptor drones and a team of drone experts to protect US military bases in Jordan.”
Ukraine is currently facing limited supplies of expensive US-made PAC-3 interceptor missiles used in the Patriot air defense system. Kyiv fears that a prolonged conflict in the Middle East could further strain global stocks and disrupt deliveries.
Earlier in the week, Zelensky proposed that US allies in the Gulf consider exchanging some of their air defense missiles for Ukrainian drone-interception technology.
He argued that Ukraine’s experience defending against Iranian-designed drones could help regional partners counter similar threats.
When asked how Ukraine would assist the United States and its Gulf allies in defending against drone attacks, Zelensky declined to provide specifics.
“It is too early to say anything else at this stage,” he said. “We would very much like this to be an opportunity for both sides.”
The proposal comes as Ukraine has built significant expertise in countering Iran-designed Shahed drones, which Russia has used extensively during its four-year full-scale invasion.
To counter the drones, Ukraine has developed a range of relatively inexpensive interceptor drones designed to destroy incoming attack drones mid-air. Ukrainian officials say the systems are among the most effective of their kind.
Zelensky made the remarks after talks with Jetten, whose country is a key contributor to the PURL initiative – a European-led program that purchases US weapons for Ukraine. The Netherlands has pledged about $870 million to the program.
Zelensky said the initiative continues to function despite the outbreak of fighting in the Middle East.
There has been no official confirmation from the United States or Gulf states that they have requested assistance from Ukraine.
Ukraine has repeatedly warned that disruptions to Western air defense supplies could have serious consequences.
During the winter, delays in US missile deliveries left parts of the country’s energy and civilian infrastructure more vulnerable to large-scale Russian missile and drone strikes, leaving hundreds of thousands without heating during freezing temperatures.