KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian military personnel have shot down Iranian-designed Shahed drones in several Middle Eastern countries during the Iran war, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, describing it as a broader effort to help partners counter the same weapons used by Russia in Ukraine.
Zelensky made his first public acknowledgment of the operations Wednesday in comments to reporters barred until Friday. He said the Ukrainian military has participated in active operations abroad using domestically produced interceptor drones to counter the Iranian-designed Shahed drones used by Russia in Ukraine.
“It was not about a training mission or an exercise, but about support in building a modern air defense system that could actually work,” Zelensky said.
Ukraine took part in defensive operations ahead of a temporary ceasefire in the Middle East between Iran, the United States and Israel this week.
Zelensky did not identify the countries involved but said Ukrainian personnel operated in several nations, helping to strengthen its air defense system. He said earlier that 228 Ukrainian experts were deployed in the region.
In return, Ukraine is getting weapons to protect its energy infrastructure, including oil, diesel and, in some cases, the financial system, he said.
The Ukrainian leader said the deals would boost Ukraine’s energy stability and described the partnership as a matter of “marketization” as Kiev seeks to formalize and expand its defense export role.
“We are helping to strengthen their security in return for contributing to the resilience of our country,” he said. “It’s more than just getting money.”
Ukraine will face more pressure
The revelations come amid concerns that conflict in the Middle East could divert Western military support, particularly air defense supplies, from Ukraine.
But Zelensky said partners continued to supply missiles for the Patriot system, with a new batch arriving in recent days, and that Ukraine was working with all partners to ensure its air defenses were in place.
He warned that the coming spring and summer will be difficult for Ukraine, with growing political and battlefield pressures as the United States turns to domestic politics and elections.
Zelensky said he had asked US ambassadors Steve Wittkoff and Jared Kushner to visit Kiev and proposed a trilateral framework with Moscow. It remains unclear whether they will come or whether the talks will take place in a third country.
U.S.-led talks have made no progress on key issues, as Washington’s attention turns to the conflict in the Middle East while Russian and Ukrainian forces battle along a nearly 1,250-kilometer (800-mile) front line.
Separately, Zelensky said he expects Western allies to restore full sanctions on Russian oil, warning that any easing could allow Moscow to continue the war effort and offload key energy assets. Damage to oil and gas infrastructure in the Gulf and Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a sea route critical to global oil supplies, have seen Russia benefit from a rise in global energy prices.
Ukraine has stepped up strikes on Russian energy sites after oil prices rose and US sanctions eased. Zelensky said the partners had asked Kiev to scale back attacks during Iran’s Strait of Hormuz blockade, but argued that Russian oil had limited influence on the global market.
“I don’t want to say who asked us to do this. But the partners asked – that’s a fact. They asked at different levels, from the political to the military leadership.”
Putin declared an Easter ceasefire and Ukraine is ready to retaliate
After Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary Easter ceasefire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine was ready to reflect on any ceasefire move.
“We proposed a ceasefire during the Easter holidays this year and will act accordingly”, Zelensky said on Friday X. “People need a real movement away from danger and towards peace, and Russia also has a chance not to go back on strike after Easter”.
Putin announced a 322-hour ceasefire over the Orthodox Easter weekend on Thursday and ordered the Russian military to cease hostilities from 4pm on Saturday until the end of Sunday.
Previous ceasefire efforts have had little effect, with both sides accusing the other of violations.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described Putin’s move as a “humanitarian” gesture, but said Moscow was focused on a comprehensive solution based on its long-standing demands – a major sticking point that has prevented the two sides from reaching an agreement.
Peskov also confirmed that Putin’s ambassador, Kirill Dmitriev, was in the United States for meetings focused on economic issues. He noted that Dmitriev was holding meetings in the framework of a group on economic issues that he led, and added that he was not involved in the negotiations on the war in Ukraine and that his trip “does not mean resuming negotiations.”
Dmitriev’s US visit comes ahead of the end of a 30-day embargo waiver for Russian oil.
