Ukraine’s president seeks leverage with low-cost interceptors, because the US and Gulf nations burn by way of shares of Patriot missiles.
Printed On 7 Mar 2026
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated he has provided Saudi Arabia his assist in intercepting Iranian Shahed drones, which have been launched on a number of Gulf countries caught up within the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Zelenskyy stated on X that he spoke to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) on Saturday about “countering threats from the Iranian regime” – a reference to Iran’s assaults on neighbouring nations internet hosting US property because the battle broke out every week in the past.
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“Ukrainians have been fighting against ‘shahed’ drones for years now, and everybody recognises that no different nation on the planet has this sort of expertise. We’re prepared to assist,” stated the Ukrainian chief.
Through the course of Russia’s four-year battle on Ukraine, Ukraine’s home arms business was pressured to innovate, specializing in constructing low-cost drones to counter Russian assaults with imported Iranian Shahed-136s and home made copies referred to as the Geran.
Now one of many world’s main producers of interceptors, Ukraine is providing experience to the US and Gulf international locations coming underneath assault over the previous week. Nations have been burning by way of shares of pricy Patriot missiles to shoot down the considerably cheaper Shaheds.
An Iranian-designed Shahed drone prices roughly $30,000, whereas a single PAC-3 interceptor missile for the US-made Patriot air defence system prices hundreds of thousands. Kyiv has developed low-cost interceptor drones priced at roughly $1,000 to $2,000, transferring the programs from prototype to mass manufacturing inside months.
Earlier this week, Zelenskyy stated Ukraine would assist the US by offering specialists to counter the drones. He additionally stated he had spoken with the leaders of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
In providing assist, Zelenskyy is hoping to extend Ukraine’s leverage with allies and procure the costly defence programs it must defend itself in opposition to Russia’s ballistic missiles.
US President Donald Trump has stated he would settle for help from any nation when requested about Zelenskyy’s provide of help to assist defend in opposition to Iranian drones.
