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Zelenskyy Says Ukraine’s Drone Experts Could Help Defend US Bases in Middle East
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Ukraine may send anti-drone defense experts to assist partners in the Middle East amid the ongoing war involving Iran, while Kyiv has also proposed a joint drone production agreement with the United States, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on March 14.
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Speaking after an awards ceremony marking the Day of Ukrainian Volunteers, Zelenskyy said Ukraine had received requests from several countries seeking expertise in defending against drone attacks, according to a UNITED24 Media correspondent.
According to the president, Ukraine has no plans to deploy combat troops to the region. “Ukraine has no plans to put boots on the ground in Iran. The only Ukrainian personnel going there would be experts in anti-drone defense,” Zelenskyy said. “These specialists can help our strategic partners defend their territory against Shahed drone attacks.”
Zelenskyy said Ukraine had received multiple requests from partners in the region. “We received two separate requests from the King of Jordan for drone experts in order to protect US bases there.
There were also requests from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar,” he said. Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is currently in Qatar to discuss potential agreements with Gulf states related to anti-drone capabilities, Zelenskyy added.
At the same time, the president warned about risks related to private actors attempting to procure Ukrainian anti-drone systems outside official government agreements. “There are private companies that want to circumvent governments and procure Ukraine’s anti-drone systems and expertise in the Middle East,” Zelenskyy said.
“If they take the drones and use them without Ukrainian experts, they may not achieve the same success that Ukrainian operators have demonstrated during this war. That could damage Ukraine’s reputation globally.”
Zelenskyy also revealed details about a proposed drone production partnership between Ukraine and the United States. According to the president, Ukraine proposed the initiative in the summer of 2025. “In the summer of 2025, Ukraine proposed a collaborative drone production deal to the United States. It included electronic warfare systems and AI-enabled drones,” Zelenskyy said.
He explained that Ukraine’s battlefield experience makes such cooperation valuable for partners. “Ukraine has a lot of experience using these systems, while many other countries rely primarily on expensive ballistic missiles for air defense,” he said.
Under the proposal, production facilities would be located in Ukraine and operate as a joint project between the two countries. “We explained to the United States that Ukraine has the capacity to build everything necessary for these systems on our territory. It would be a real co-production—50 percent Ukrainian engineers and 50 percent American engineers,” Zelenskyy said.
According to the president, the systems produced under the partnership would belong jointly to both countries. “Everything produced at these factories would be the property of two nations—the United States and Ukraine. Priority for their use would be given to whichever country needs them most at the time.”
Zelenskyy said Ukraine had received similar proposals from other partners but chose to prioritize cooperation with Washington. “There were offers from African countries and from the UAE, but the United States is our main strategic partner. That is why we put other discussions on hold,” he said.
The president added that the agreement has not yet been signed due to financial and weapons supply challenges Ukraine faced at the time. Zelenskyy also described drone production as one of Ukraine’s most important strategic capabilities. “Drone production can be thought of as Ukraine’s oil,” he said.
Earlier, an Iranian missile strike targeted the US-operated Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, damaging five US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft, according to The Wall Street Journal on March 14. The aircraft reportedly sustained damage while stationed at the base and are currently undergoing repairs. No US personnel were killed in the strike.
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