President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine stands ready to help Middle Eastern countries stabilize the situation in response to the threat of Iranian strike drones and missiles. Iranian attacks have already seriously affected regional security and the global energy market.
Iran has long been Russia's ally, supplying it with 57,000 Shahed drones that killed hundreds of Ukrainian civilians. Tehran has also transformed modern warfare, making drones the primary means of battlefield strikes.
He emphasizes that Iran is using the same “Shaheds” that have attacked Ukrainian cities, villages, and critical infrastructure for years.
How Ukraine plans to provide support without weakening its own defense
The Ukrainian leader states that he has instructed the foreign minister, intelligence agencies, the defense minister, military leadership, and the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council to develop support scenarios for partners, ensuring that assistance does not reduce Ukraine’s own defense capabilities.
So far, Iran has already launched over 800 missiles and more than 1,400 strike drones in just a few days.
Iranian drones threaten shipping and the global economy
“Iranian drones and missiles pose the main threat to free navigation and destabilize oil, fuel, and gas prices worldwide,” Zelenskyy stresses.
He notes that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has effectively stopped, while the Iranian regime shows no real intention to pursue diplomacy or fundamental change.
Coordinating with partners and regional countries
Ukraine has already begun negotiations with European and American partners, as well as Iran’s neighbors. Yesterday, Zelenskyy spoke with leaders of the UAE and Qatar, and today with leaders of Jordan and Bahrain.
In the coming days, he plans to talk with Kuwait and other regional countries. Ukrainian military personnel and experts are ready to operate on the ground and are already arranging concrete steps.
On 4 March, Ukraine marks a year since the launch of the “Drone Line”, a large-scale initiative to scale up the most effective unmanned systems units of the Ukrainian army. Now, the project operates more than 1,000 drone crews who systematically strike Russian targets related to its war.
