Zelenskyy sent drone defense teams to help defend Iranian attacks, but made clear he wants billions in technology and funding before the deal is done

Ukraine wants money and technology in return for sending specialist teams to the Middle East to help counter Iranian drones. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that three expert teams are now in the region, showing how their drone defense systems work. This comes as countries in the Middle East continue to face Iranian drone attacks, largely because they host US military bases.

According to Al Jazeera, Zelenskyy made clear that Ukraine’s involvement is not military. “This is not about being involved in operations. We are not at war with Iran,” he said. He announced earlier that these teams were deployed to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and a US military base in Jordan.

Ukraine has built up strong expertise over the past four years dealing with Russia’s use of Iranian Shahed-136 “suicide” drones. This has given them practical knowledge of how to neutralize these drones using cheap interceptors, electronic jamming, and anti-aircraft weapons.

Ukraine’s drone expertise is valuable, but Kyiv is not giving it away without a fair deal

Zelenskyy made clear that any long-term drone deals with Gulf countries would need to be negotiated, and what Ukraine gets in return is not yet decided. “For us today, both the technology and the funding are important,” he said. He has also expressed frustration that Washington has not signed a drone agreement with Kyiv, something he has been pushing for months.

He revealed, “I wanted to sign a deal worth about $35bn–50bn.” President Trump has already stated that the United States does not need Ukraine’s help in countering Iranian drones targeting American interests. This follows a broader pattern where Trump claimed total victory over Iran’s military while still seeking outside assistance, making his position on the matter difficult to follow.

Zelenskyy also raised concerns that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could affect Ukraine’s supply of air defense 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 White House’s messaging on Iranian threats has also been inconsistent, as seen when Leavitt contradicted Trump’s answer on Iranian drone threats to different news outlets.

Interest in Ukrainian drone interceptors has grown because of their proven effectiveness on the battlefield. However, Zelenskyy wants all purchases to go through official government channels rather than letting foreign buyers deal directly with manufacturers. 

“Unfortunately, representatives of certain governments or companies want to bypass the Ukrainian state to purchase specific equipment,” he said. He explained that contracts must come through political channels before the private sector gets involved. “Even in some free countries, we do not initially receive contracts from the private sector. A contract comes to me through the political channel. Only then does the private sector start negotiating with us.”