The United States and its Middle Eastern allies are seeking Ukraine’s expertise to counter Iran’s Shahed drones, as stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He has been in discussions with leaders from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait about potential cooperation.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine over four years ago, it has launched tens of thousands of Shahed drones. Iran responds to the US bombing by launching drones against countries in the region. Zelenskyy noted that any assistance Ukraine provides will not compromise its own defences and should support its efforts to end the Russian invasion.
Ukraine has developed low-cost drone defence systems, altering the air defence landscape and attracting international attention. Earlier this year, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine would begin exporting these systems. The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, indicated that discussions among EU and Gulf foreign ministers would focus on leveraging Ukraine’s experience to combat Iranian drones.
The Iran war, now in its sixth day, has shifted international focus away from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, leading to the postponement of US-brokered talks between the two nations. President Zelenskyy noted that the current circumstances surrounding Iran have prevented a trilateral meeting, but he expressed hope for diplomatic efforts to resume once the security situation allows.
Zelenskyy thanked the US for facilitating the return of 200 Ukrainian prisoners of war from Russia, with Russia confirming a reciprocal exchange. These prisoner swaps have been a rare positive outcome of negotiations. Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky announced that a total of 500 prisoners from each side would be exchanged.
Oleksandr Merezhko, head of Ukraine’s parliamentary foreign affairs committee, criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin for dragging out negotiations to continue the invasion while avoiding US sanctions. He emphasised the interconnected nature of the conflicts between Russia, Ukraine, and Iran.
According to the Institute for the Study of War, Ukrainian forces have recently made gains along the 1,250-kilometre front line, liberating approximately 257 square kilometres since 1st January.
This article used information from The Associated Press.
