President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine can help partners stabilize the situation in the Middle East, as well as “protect life.” According to him, this includes restoring safe shipping in the region.
He made this statement following a meeting on the situation in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf region, which took place on March 4.
According to the head of state, the Ukrainian authorities are currently consulting on this issue with partners in Europe and the United States, as well as with Iran's neighboring countries.
“Yesterday I spoke with the leaders of the UAE United Arab Emirates. and Qatar. Today there have already been talks with the leaders of Jordan and Bahrain. There will be more talks with Kuwait and other countries in the region. All of them have a serious challenge and speak about it openly: Iranian strike drones are the same “shaheeds” that have been attacking our cities and villages, our Ukrainian infrastructure during the years of this war,” Zelensky said.
The President says that Iran has already used more than 800 missiles of various types and more than 1,400 strike drones in just a few days, which pose a threat to free navigation. This is destabilizing the prices of oil, petroleum products, and gas around the world.
The Head of State emphasized that Ukraine can help “with the protection of life and stabilization of the situation,” noting that assistance will be provided taking into account its own protection and security in the state.
“Partners are appealing about this. I have instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, together with the intelligence, the Minister of Defense, our military command, and the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, to present support options for the relevant states and provide assistance in a way that does not weaken our own defense here in Ukraine,” he said.
Zelensky also noted that the Ukrainian military “possess the necessary capabilities,” and experts from Ukraine “will work on site, and the teams are already negotiating this.”
“And we are ready to help protect lives, protect civilians, and support real efforts to stabilize the situation and restore, in particular, safe shipping in the region. We expect the European Union, European states, and the Group of Seven to be active in both eliminating the Iranian regime's terrorist capabilities and protecting life in the region and global stability. We will continue to coordinate with partners,” the head of state added.
Zelensky previously stated that Middle Eastern countries need interceptors to neutralize Iranian “shaheeds,” and Kyiv is ready to provide them in exchange for missiles for Patriot air defense systems.