Ukrainian military personnel shot down Iranian-designed Shahed drones in multiple Middle Eastern countries during the Iran war, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, describing the operations as part of a broader effort to help partners counter the same weapons used by Russia in Ukraine.
Zelensky made his first public acknowledgment of the operations Wednesday (local time) in remarks to reporters that were embargoed until Friday. He said Ukrainian forces took part in active operations abroad using domestically produced interceptor drones proven in countering Iranian-designed Shahed drones used by Russia in Ukraine.
"This was not about a training mission or exercises, but about support in building a modern air defence system that can actually work," Zelensky said.
Ukraine took part in the defensive operations before the tentative ceasefire in the Middle East was reached among Iran, the United States and Israel this week.
Zelensky did not identify the countries involved but said Ukrainian personnel operated across several nations, helping strengthen their air defence systems. He previously said that 228 Ukrainian experts were deployed in the region.
In exchange, Ukraine is receiving weapons to protect its energy infrastructure, along with oil, diesel and, in some cases, financial arrangements, he said.
The Ukrainian leader said the agreements would bolster Ukraine’s energy stability and described the partnerships as something that would "be marketed" as Kyiv seeks to formalise and expand its defence export role.
"We are helping strengthen their security in exchange for contributions to our country’s resilience," he said. "This is far more than simply receiving money."
The disclosure comes amid concerns that conflict in the Middle East could divert Western military support from Ukraine, particularly air defence supplies.
But Zelensky said that partners were continuing to supply missiles for Patriot systems, adding that a new batch had arrived in recent days and that Ukraine was working with all partners to ensure its air defence remained in place.
Zelensky also said he had urged US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to visit Kyiv, noting the offer came before a ceasefire in the Middle East.
"I told them: "Come to us, and then go to Moscow. Let’s hold a trilateral meeting in this format." he said. "They were receptive to this, but as we can see, they decided they cannot be far from their president right now".
He said it remained unclear whether the envoys would still visit Kyiv or whether talks would instead take place in a third country. On the substance of discussions, Zelensky said Ukraine is preparing proposals on security guarantees to present to the United States and expressed hope diplomacy would move forward.
The US-led talks have made no progress on key issues, and Washington’s attention has switched to the Middle East conflict while the Russian and Ukrainian armies remain locked in battle on the roughly 1250km front line.
Separately, Zelensky said he expects Western allies to restore full sanctions on Russian oil, warning that any easing could allow Moscow to sustain its war effort and offload key energy assets. Russia has been profiting from a surge in global energy prices, brought on by damage to oil and gas infrastructure in the Gulf and Iran’s blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital sea route for global oil supplies.
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