Ukrainian drone experts set to be in Mid-East next week: Zelensky

KYIV - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 8 that Kyiv’s drone experts will be “on site” in the Middle East “next week”, as he seeks US air defence missiles in exchange for drone expertise.

Ukraine is facing a shortage of the expensive US PAC-3 air defence ammunition and Kyiv fears a longer Middle East war could disrupt supplies even further.

Mr Zelensky on March 3 offered US allies in the Middle East to swop some of their air defence missiles for Ukrainian drone interceptors, which he said would better protect them from Iranian drone attacks.

When asked how exactly he wants to help the United States and its Gulf allies repel the drones, Mr Zelensky said: “It is too early to say anything else at this stage.”

“I think that next week, when the experts are on site, they will look at the situation and help,” he added.

“We would very much like this to be an opportunity for both sides,” Mr Zelensky told a press conference after a meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten.

The Netherlands is an important donor to the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) programme through which Europe buys US weapons for Ukraine, so far contributing US$870 million (S$1.11 billion) to it.

Mr Zelensky earlier said PURL was still functioning despite the outbreak of war in the Middle East.

There was no official confirmation, either from the US or from the Gulf states, that they sought help from Ukraine.

Russia has been using Iranian-designed Shahed drones throughout its four-year invasion of Ukraine, and Kyiv has developed a range of cheap and effective drone interceptors against them.

Ukraine says the interceptors – aircraft designed to hit incoming attack drones midair – are world-leading.

A delay in US missile supplies during winter made Ukraine’s civil infrastructure more vulnerable to widespread Russian air strikes that left hundreds of thousands without heating in freezing temperatures. AFP