Ukrainian air-defense specialists trained to intercept Shahed drones have been deployed to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Teams of Ukrainian experts are already on the ground across the Middle East, assisting partners and allies in countering Iranian-made Shahed kamikaze drones, he told reporters on March 10.
Zelensky said three Ukrainian teams are currently active, focusing on intercepting Shahed drones and helping Ukraine’s friends defend against Iranian attacks.
In return for this assistance, Kyiv expects new deliveries of missiles for Patriot air defense systems, along with deeper military cooperation, he said.
The President also confirmed media reports that Ukraine previously offered Washington a drone deal - and indicated the proposal is still on the table.
“A year ago we proposed to the United States a drone deal that included interceptors and more. Broadly, it draws on our collective experience and our production capacity at a scale we’re not using today — we simply don’t have the ability to finance all production. We offered this primarily to the Americans — our partners… The drone deal for the United States is absolutely relevant… Absolutely all American experts understand that only Ukraine’s experience can help shoot down mass Shahed attacks today. And even countries that quietly bought or sourced interceptors have already realized that without our troops, our operators, our software — there are many nuances — those interceptors don’t work,” Zelensky said.
Earlier, Axios roported that President Donald Trump’s team previously rejected Ukraine’s proposed drone deal. The outlet characterized that move as a major strategic miscalculation by the White House, noting that recent military operations against Iran exposed the vulnerability of the U.S. and its partners to drone attacks, including strikes on U.S. bases in the Middle East.
Zelensky said last week that Washington has asked Ukraine for help intercepting drone strikes.
