Zelenskyy’s Drone Diplomacy: Helping Allies Fight Iranian Threats

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is deploying a new kind of diplomacy — one built on battle-tested drone technology. He announced that Ukraine will share its expertise in countering Iranian Shahed drones with the United States and Middle Eastern allies, transforming a war-born innovation into a tool of international partnership.
The move comes after multiple countries approached Ukraine for help. Zelenskyy confirmed direct conversations with leaders from the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait, as well as a formal US request for support. In response, he ordered Ukrainian equipment and specialists to be made available, emphasizing that the aid reflects a reciprocal relationship: those who support Ukraine diplomatically will receive Ukraine’s support in kind.
Ukraine’s credibility in this arena is unquestionable. Since Russia’s invasion began more than four years ago, tens of thousands of Shahed drones have been launched at Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. Facing this relentless assault, Ukrainian engineers developed cost-effective interceptor systems that have dramatically reduced the effectiveness of drone swarm attacks.
The economic innovation behind these systems is striking. While some European nations scrambled expensive fighter jets in response to drone incursions, Ukraine developed systems costing as little as $1,000 that achieve similar or better results against Shahed-type threats. This disparity in cost-effectiveness has made Ukraine’s solutions highly desirable on the international market.
Zelenskyy was careful to note that foreign assistance will not be provided at the cost of Ukraine’s own security. The president also acknowledged that diplomatic momentum toward ending the Russia-Ukraine war has been disrupted by the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East, though he expressed confidence that talks would eventually resume.