- Category
- Latest news
We’ve Always Held the Cards—Now the US Recognizes Ukraine’s Strategic Power, Zelenskyy Says
- Authors
![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has characterized the United States’ decision to seek Ukrainian assistance in the Middle East as a definitive sign of Ukraine’s emergence as a high-level strategic player.
In an interview with Caolan Robertson on March 11, the President addressed the recent request from Washington for Kyiv to provide expertise and technology to counter drone threats at US military facilities in the region.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
The request notably prioritized Ukrainian involvement over traditional Western allies, such as France or Germany, even as the US reportedly declined the use of a British aircraft carrier in favor of specific defensive solutions.
When asked about his reaction to being approached by the US for such critical support, President Zelenskyy described it as a “good feeling.”
“Now it's it's because of our soldiers—great great people—and the many different industries we have been developing since the very beginning of the war. Now we have reached a high level,” the President stated.
When asked whether Ukraine now “holds the cards,” the President replied that they have always had them, but Kyiv simply hadn't revealed them.
“I think so... We were like a good player. You can have good cards, but it’s important not to show everyone that you have them. I think a year ago we also had them, but we didn’t show them. But now, everyone understands that they are there,” Zelenskyy emphasized.
This shift in the geopolitical landscape, with Ukraine increasingly acting as a security provider, stands in sharp contrast to the destabilizing military partnership emerging between Moscow and Tehran.
In the same interview, President Zelenskyy cautioned that Russia has moved past political rhetoric and is actively bolstering the Iranian regime with drones, missiles, and technical support for air defense systems.
“In such a situation the question is only one: when and which country will be the first to support and send troops? Like with Russia, when North Koreans send 10,000 soldiers who are now deployed in Russia, but could be sent to Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.
European Council President António Costa added to the growing concerns, asserting that Russia is currently the only beneficiary of the war in Iran. Speaking to European Union ambassadors in Brussels, he noted that rising energy prices and the global shift in focus from Russia’s war in Ukraine are working to Moscow’s advantage.
“At this moment, there is only one winner in this war—Russia,” Costa stated. “By continuously undermining Ukraine’s positions while disregarding international law, Russia is benefiting from the rising energy prices, which provide it with new resources to finance its war against Ukraine.”
-7f54d6f9a1e9b10de9b3e7ee663a18d9.png)
-c439b7bd9030ecf9d5a4287dc361ba31.jpg "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
-b9c57d8ed61481d025dc519b5a5725e2.jpeg "One of the mercenaries identified by Helsingin Sanomat, Viktor A. The image was not necessarily taken aboard a shadow fleet vessel. Faces were blurred by the outlet’s editors. (Source: Helsingin Sanomat)")
