Ukraine eyes money and tech in return for Middle East drone support

Ukraine’s leader previously said advisers were sent to Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia to help thwart Iranian drone attacks.Published On 15 Mar 2026Ukraine wants money and technology as payback after sending specialists to the Middle East to help down Iranian drones during the ongoing Israel-United States war with Iran.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters on Sunday that three teams were sent to the region to undertake expert assessments and demonstrate how drone defences work as countries in the Middle East continue to be targeted by Iran over hosting US military bases.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Ukraine finds new role as protector of US, Gulf allies amid Iran warlist 2 of 4Iran claims US and Israel using copycat ‘Lucas’ drones to frame itlist 3 of 4How Trump’s unchecked power has changed the worldlist 4 of 4Trump calls for naval coalition to open Strait of Hormuz: Can it work?end of list“This is not about being involved in operations. We are not at war with Iran,” Zelenskyy said.Earlier this week, Ukraine’s leader announced military teams were sent to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and a US military base in Jordan.But he explained that more long-term drone deals could be negotiated with Gulf countries, and what Kyiv gets in return for its assistance still needs to be established.“For us today, both the technology and the funding are important,” Zelenskyy said.Throughout the four-year Russia-Ukraine war, Moscow has widely used Iranian Shahed-136 “suicide” drones, giving Kyiv expertise in knowing how to down the unmanned aerial vehicles through cheap drone interceptors, electronic jamming tools, and anti-aircraft weaponry.However, US President Donald Trump has said he does not need Ukraine’s help in taking down Iranian drones attacking American targets.‘Rules must be tightened’Zelenskyy said he doesn’t know why Washington hasn’t signed a drone agreement with Kyiv, which it has pushed for months.“I wanted to sign a deal worth about $35bn–50bn,” he said.