Zelenskyy offers anti-drone expertise to Middle East states attacked by Iran

The Ukrainian president told reporters that Kyiv had sent three teams of experts on drone warfare to the Middle East

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a joint presser with France's President Emmanuel Macron, not pictured, following a bilateral meeting at the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris, Friday March 13, 2026. (Ludovic Marin/Pool Photo via AP)

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that his country wants money and technology in return for helping Middle Eastern nations that have sought its expertise as they defend against Iranian kamikaze drones.

Mr Zelenskyy told reporters that Kyiv had sent three teams of experts on drone warfare to the Middle East to conduct assessments, and demonstrate how drone defences should operate.

He said that teams were sent to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, as well as to a US military base in Jordan.

“This is not about being involved in operations. We are not at war with Iran,” Mr Zelenskyy said.

He added that more fundamental, long-term drone deals could be negotiated with Gulf countries, and that what Ukraine will get in return for the assistance still needed to be discussed.

“For us today, both the technology and the funding are important,” Mr Zelenskyy said.

Gulf states have expended large quantities of air-defence missiles to counter Iran’s Shahed drones. Kyiv downs Russian drones every night using an array of weaponry including cheaper, smaller drones or jamming equipment.

Mr Zelenskyy has said that the US and countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa have sought help from Ukraine on how to counter these attacks.

However, US president Donald Trump has said the US does not need Ukraine’s help with downing drones.

Mr Zelenskyy said he did not know why Washington had not signed a major drone deal which Kyiv has pushed for months, and that he was unsure whether it would be agreed at all. “I wanted to sign a deal worth about $35–50bn,” he said.

He also hit out at some Ukrainian companies and foreign governments, which he did not name, who he said had sought to do deals for anti-drone equipment without approval from Kyiv.

Mr Zelenskyy raised concerns about the effect of a protracted Middle Eastern conflict on Ukraine’s own supplies of air defence missiles.

“We would very much not like the United States to step away from the issue of Ukraine because of the Middle East,” he told reporters.

The latest round of peace talks between Moscow, Kyiv, and Washington, which had been due to take place in the UAE, was postponed after US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran triggered a war in the region two weeks ago.

Mr Zelenskyy said Washington had suggested meeting in the US for talks next week, but that the Russian side did not want to meet there. “Either they will change the country where we meet, or the Russians must confirm [a meeting in] the US,” he said.

On the battlefield, Mr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine’s military believed a Russian spring offensive had “already failed,” as Moscow had planned for it to be fully underway already.

• Reuters

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