Zelensky offers Gulf states help with drone defence

Ukraine has offered its experience in countering Iranian-made combat drones to the Gulf states attacked by Tehran.

“Ukrainian expertise in protecting against Shahed drones is currently the greatest in the world, and indeed the Shahed drones are the biggest challenge there,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video message on Tuesday.

He said it was clear why Kiev was receiving so many requests, without being specific. However, he had earlier held phone calls with the emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also spoke with his Kuwaiti counterpart.

At the same time, Zelensky stressed, “Any such cooperation to protect our partners can only take place without compromising our own potential here in Ukraine.”

Prior to this, Zelensky had already suggested to journalists the possibility of sending Ukrainian drone defence experts to the Gulf states.

However, the condition was that they first secure a ceasefire in the Ukraine war from Moscow.

Despite its capabilities, the Ukrainian air defence was unable to intercept a single Russian drone over the centre of the capital Kiev on Monday.

Ukraine has been defending itself against a full-scale Russian invasion for more than four years. The Russian military is using combat drones originally developed in Iran on a massive scale. In turn, Kiev has received modern air-defence systems from Western partners.