Zelenskiy says Ukraine will help US to counter Iranian drones

KYIV, March 5 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that Ukraine would provide assistance to the U.S. in response to its request for help in dealing ​with Iranian drones in the Middle East.

Tehran has fired hundreds of drones at ‌U.S. targets in neighboring countries after the U.S. and Israel began a massive campaign of air strikes against Iran on Saturday.

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During its war with Russia, Ukraine has developed highly ​effective means of downing the Iranian-designed Shahed kamikaze drone, which Moscow has ​been using for much of the four-year war.

“We received a ⁠request from the United States for specific support in protection against ‘Shaheds’ in ​the Middle East region,” Zelenskiy wrote in English on the X social media ​platform.

“I gave instructions to provide the necessary means and ensure the presence of Ukrainian specialists who can guarantee the required security.”

The U.S. had requested assistance in protecting its bases and ​soldiers in certain countries in the region, according to a source familiar ​with the matter, who said Zelenskiy had instructed his military to do so.

Ukrainians would start ‌work “in ⁠the next few days”, the source said.

In a telephone interview with Reuters on Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump said that he would take assistance from any country, when asked about Zelenskiy’s offer of support to help defend against Iranian drones.

Zelenskiy ​expressed concern earlier ​this week that ⁠the war in Iran - if it proves long and intense - could diminish weapons supplies to Ukraine from its Western ​allies, in particular the air defence systems it needs to ​protect against ⁠Russian missiles.

In recent months, Ukraine has already experienced shortages of the U.S.-made Patriot air defence systems - the only effective weapon in its arsenal for downing Russia’s ⁠ballistic missiles.

On ​Tuesday, Zelenskiy said Ukraine would be open to ​exchanging interceptor drones for air defence missiles from the Middle East allies, which have their own ​stocks of Patriots.

Reporting by Ron Popeski and Daniel Flynn; Editing by Diane Craft

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