KYIV, March 15 (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country wanted money and technology in exchange for helping Middle Eastern countries defend themselves against Iranian kamikaze drones, President Volodymyr Zelensky said after Kiev sent experts to four countries in the region.
Zelensky told reporters in comments released on Sunday that three teams sent to the Middle East, each with dozens of people, would conduct expert assessments and demonstrate how drone defenses should work.
Gulf states have invested heavily in anti-aircraft missiles to counter Iran’s attack drones and have sought Ukraine’s expertise in shooting them down. Kiev shoots down Russian drones every night using a range of weapons, including cheaper, smaller drones or jamming devices.
Zelensky said nearly a dozen countries around the world have asked Ukraine for help on how to respond to the attacks.
He said earlier this week that teams of experts had been sent to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, while another official said experts had also traveled to U.S. military bases in Jordan.
“This has nothing to do with engaging in operations. We are not at war with Iran,” Zelensky said. “This is about protection and a thorough, complete assessment of how we counter the Shahd drone,” he added, referring to the Shahd drone developed by Iran.
He said it still needed to be discussed what aid Ukraine would receive in return.
“Honestly, for us today, both technology and funding are important.”
Zelensky also said he was unsure whether Ukraine and the United States would sign a drone cooperation agreement, which Kiev has been seeking for months.
(Reporting by Max Hunder and Yuliia Dysa; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
