The President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, expressed Ukraine’s preparedness to deploy its top experts to assist in neutralizing Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicles in the Middle East.
Volodymyr Zelensky / © Getty Images
The Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, proposed to countries in the Middle East aid in combating Iranian UAVs, with the expectation of support in achieving a short-term cessation of hostilities in the war Russia wages against Ukraine.
This was declared by the head of state during an interview with Bloomberg.
According to Zelensky, throughout the years of the all-out war, Ukraine has gained unparalleled proficiency in countering Iranian drones, notably the Shahed variant, which Russia is utilizing extensively against Ukrainian conurbations. He believes this expertise could be invaluable for the nations in the region, currently experiencing similar assaults.
“My suggestion is this: the chiefs of Middle Eastern countries maintain favorable connections with the Russians. They could urge Russia to consent to a month-long truce,” he remarked.
The President elaborated that should a truce be established, Ukraine stands ready to dispatch its drone defense specialists to the nations of the region. He asserted that these teams comprise premier operators and specialists capable of assisting in shielding civilian populations from assaults.
He also mentioned the potential for the truce to be either shorter or longer—ranging from a fortnight to a couple of months—contingent upon agreements reached between the involved parties.
Zelensky put forth this proposition following a sequence of attacks on various Middle Eastern cities, including Dubai, by Iranian drones and missiles, which were in response to strikes by the US and Israel on Iranian locations.
Concurrently, Moscow has consistently dismissed Washington’s appeals for a ceasefire in Ukraine; therefore, whether the Kremlin is amenable to altering its stance remains uncertain.
The Kremlin communicated that Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, held phone discussions with the leaders of Persian Gulf nations impacted by the Iranian attacks, notably the leadership of Bahrain, the UAE, and Qatar. It further affirmed continuous communication with Iranian leadership.
Zelensky emphasized that countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar possess robust economic partnerships with Russia and might leverage their influence to advocate for a ceasefire. He further noted Ukraine’s willingness to bolster the region’s allies in reinforcing air defenses and drone countermeasures.
Earlier, it was reported that the Middle Eastern conflict is escalating. While the US and Israel persist in a broad-scale operation against the Iranian regime, Tehran is targeting American military installations and neighboring states. Another nation has initiated aid to the Iranian ayatollahs – and it is not Russia. Meanwhile, Ukraine is being requested to share its special know-how in downing Iranian “Shaheeds”. Kyiv is willing to assist those who aided us, as per President Zelensky.
Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia: latest news
Despite the worsening situation in the Middle East and heightened security concerns, Ukraine and Russia continue diplomatic engagement and are exploring alternate locations for discussions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy underscored the unacceptability of employing coercion or threats during the peace process. He also indicated that Kyiv has a well-defined strategy prepared in the event of a prospective withdrawal by Moscow.
Simultaneously, it was previously indicated that Russia might abandon the negotiation process if Ukraine declines to concede territory concerning Donbas. The outcomes of the scheduled meetings next week are anticipated to be pivotal for the subsequent course of the negotiations.
Source: tsn.ua