Ukraine to help US and its allies counter Iranian drones in Middle East, says Zelenskyy

Ukraine to help US and its allies counter Iranian drones in Middle East, says Zelenskyy Ukrainian president orders equipment and expertise to be provided to US in return to diplomatic support against Russia, saying ‘we help to defend from war those who help us’ The United States and its allies in the Middle East are seeking Ukraine’s expertise in countering Iran’s Shahed drones , president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said. Various countries, including the US, have approached Ukraine for help in defending against the Iranian drones, Zelenskyy said late on Wednesday. He said he has spoken in recent days to the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait about possible cooperation. Ukrainian assistance in countering Iranian drones will be provided only if it does not weaken Ukraine’s own defences, the Ukrainian president said, and if it adds leverage to Kyiv’s diplomatic efforts to stop the Russian invasion. “We help to defend from war those who help us, Ukraine, bring a just end to the war” with Russia, Zelenskyy said. Later on Thursday, Zelenskyy said he had received a US request for support to defend against the drones in the Middle East and had given the order for equipment to be provided along with Ukrainian experts, without providing further details. “Ukraine helps partners who help our security and the protection of our people’s lives,” he added in a social media post. Trump, in an interview on Thursday with Reuters, said: “Certainly I’ll take, you know, any assistance from any country.” Russia has sent tens of thousands of Shaheds into Ukraine since it invaded its neighbour just over four years ago, at one point launching a swarm of more than 800 drones and decoys in its biggest night-time barrage. Iran has responded to joint US-Israeli strikes by launching the same type of drones at countries in the Middle East. Ukraine has pioneered the development of cut-price drone-killing equipment that cost as little as $1,000, rewriting the air def...