Ukrainian President Zelensky offers Gulf states a swap of their PAC-3 missiles for Kyiv’s drone interceptors to counter Iranian drone threats.
KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a weapons swap with US allies in the Middle East. He offered to exchange some of their air defence missiles for Kyiv’s advanced drone interceptors.
The initiative aims to better protect Gulf states from Iranian drone attacks. This follows retaliatory strikes across the region after Israeli and US actions against Iran.
Russia has extensively used Iranian-designed Shahed drones in its invasion of Ukraine. In response, Kyiv has developed what it calls world-leading, cheap, and effective drone interceptors.
Ukraine itself faces a critical shortage of PAC-3 air defence missiles. These expensive systems are vital for defending its cities and infrastructure from Russian missiles.
“The number one issue is how to protect their skies. We ourselves live with this question,” Zelensky said. He described the proposed exchange as a fair deal to address mutual defence needs.
“Let’s speak about weapons that we’re short of: PAC-3 missiles — if they give them to us, we will give them interceptors,” he added. The president argued that PAC-3 systems are less effective against massed drone attacks.
Zelensky expressed confidence in the arrangement’s potential. “This is a fair exchange. We will certainly do this,” he told journalists.
He revealed that Ukrainian teams would begin work immediately to explore the proposal. The offer follows his phone calls with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed and Qatari leader Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
“Our teams will remain in contact to determine how we can jointly provide greater protection to people,” Zelensky stated after speaking with Al Thani. Iranian bombardments have targeted both military and civilian sites in the Gulf.
These attacks have struck airports, seaports, hotels, and residential buildings. The barrages have unsettled a region previously seen as a stable refuge.
Iran’s strategy relies heavily on missile arsenals for its strikes. Such weapons are precisely the type that PAC-3 air defence systems are designed to intercept.
The Sun Malaysia
