President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been unambiguous about the nature of Ukraine’s offer to share drone defense expertise with US and Middle Eastern partners. It is not charity, he said — it is strategy. Every instance of defense assistance Ukraine provides is calculated to advance its own security interests, build the international support it needs, and ultimately contribute to ending the war with Russia on just terms.
Zelenskyy confirmed conversations with leaders from the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait about defense cooperation, and stated that a formal US request had been fulfilled with the provision of equipment and Ukrainian technical specialists. He described the arrangement in terms of mutual benefit, noting that Ukraine helps those who help it and that defense cooperation is explicitly linked to diplomatic support for Ukraine’s peace goals.
The strategic calculation is clear. By providing nations with capabilities they genuinely need — low-cost interceptors costing as little as $1,000 that can destroy Iranian Shahed drones — Ukraine creates stakeholders in its success. Nations that rely on Ukraine for critical defense capabilities develop a natural interest in Ukraine’s security and stability, which translates into political support for Kyiv at the international level.
Ukraine’s qualifications for this role are impeccable. Four years of sustained Shahed attacks from Russia produced an engineering culture and a manufacturing base that are now without parallel in the field of drone interception. The expertise and hardware Ukraine is offering have been tested under real combat conditions, giving them a credibility that theoretical solutions cannot match.
Zelenskyy acknowledged the complications of the current moment, including the disruption of peace talks caused by the Iran crisis. But he remained focused on the strategic picture, arguing that Ukraine’s expanding network of defense partnerships is steadily improving its position in the global contest of interests and values. When peace talks eventually resume, Ukraine will face Russia from a position of greater strength — military, technological, and diplomatic.