Iran’s regime has chosen to be Vladimir Putin’s accomplice by supplying Russia with weapons for its war against Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, adding that fast-moving events in the Middle East are a chance for the Iranian people.
Ukrainians have never threatened Iran, Zelensky said, but Tehran “chose to be an accomplice” by providing Moscow with Shahed drones and related technology. He added that Iran has supplied other weapons to Russia as well.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has used more than 57,000 Shahed attack drones against Ukraine, according to Zelensky. He argued that other nations have also suffered from terror and said it would be just to give the Iranian people a chance to rid themselves of a “terrorist regime” and to guarantee security to all peoples harmed by Iran-origin terror.
“Our position is well known, and Ukraine has said this repeatedly, including in recent days. It is important to save as many lives as possible. It is important to prevent the expansion of the war. It is important that the United States is determined. And whenever America shows resolve, global criminals grow weaker,” he said.
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andriy Sybiha, said Kyiv supports the Iranian people but not the ayatollahs’ regime, and that Ukraine’s stance on Iran remains consistent and grounded in international law. He said Tehran has destabilized the region for decades, supports and funds armed groups, and systematically violates human rights, including those of peaceful Iranians who face repression.
In Russia, Dmitry Medvedev responded to what he described as a U.S.-Israeli operation targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, invoking the countries’ histories.
