Ukraine has sent interceptor drones and a team of experts to U.S. military bases in Jordan to counter Iranian attack drones, President Volodymyr Zelensky told The New York Times in an interview published on Monday.
The team of Ukrainian drone experts left for the Middle East on Friday, Zelensky said, a day after the U.S. requested help. “We reacted immediately,” the Ukrainian president said.
The White House did not respond to The Times when asked about whether the U.S. had asked for Ukraine’s help.
Zelensky also said that another team of Ukrainian experts would travel to the Middle East to help countries assess how to protect themselves from Iranian drones without using expensive Patriot interceptors.
Kyiv has previously offered assistance to Middle Eastern countries in exchange for diplomatic help pushing Russia to end its war against Ukraine. In the interview, Zelensky noted that some countries in the region have “very strong relations with Russia.”
“That’s why I said, Look, so maybe they can speak with Russians and Russians will make a pause,” he said. “In this case, of course, we can help the Middle East to defend them.”
Zelensky also said he had seen intelligence showing that Iran is launching drones at Middle Eastern countries that have Russian components. However, The Times could not verify this claim.