Long Middle East war could take away from support for Ukraine, says Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that a prolonged US-Israeli war on Iran could further erode America’s support for Ukraine as Washington’s global priorities shift.

Ukraine desperately needs more US-made Patriot air defence missile systems to help it counter Russia’s daily barrages, Mr Zelenskyy said, speaking to the Associated Press in an exclusive interview.

Russia’s relentless pounding of urban areas behind the front line after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago has killed thousands of civilians.

It has also targeted Ukraine’s energy supply to disrupt industrial production of Ukraine’s newly developed drones and missiles, while also denying civilians heat and running water in winter.

“We have to recognise that we are not the priority for today,” Mr Zelensky said. “That’s why I am afraid a long (Iran) war will give us less support.”

The latest US-brokered talks between envoys from Moscow and Kyiv ended in February with no sign of a breakthrough. Mr Zelensky, who has accused Russia of “trying to drag out negotiations” while it presses on with its invasion, said Ukraine remains in contact with US negotiators about a potential deal to end the war and has continued to press for stronger security guarantees.

But even those discussions reflect a broader loss of focus from Ukraine, he said.

His most immediate concern is the Patriots — essential for intercepting Russian ballistic missiles — as Ukraine still lacks an effective alternative.

The US systems were never delivered in sufficient quantities to begin with, Mr Zelensky said, and if the Iran war does not end soon, “the package — which is not very big for us — I think will be smaller and smaller day by day”.

“That’s why, of course, we are afraid,” he added.

Mr Zelensky had been counting on European partners to help make the Patriot purchases despite tight supply and limited US production capacity.

But the Iran war, now in its sixth week, has sent shockwaves through the global economy and pulled in much of the wider Middle East region, further straining already limited resources, diverting stockpiles and leaving Ukrainian cities more exposed to ballistic strikes.

For Kyiv, a key objective is to weaken Moscow’s economy and make the war prohibitively costly. Surging oil prices driven by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz are undermining that strategy by boosting the Kremlin’s oil revenues.

In his interview with the AP, Mr Zelensky said Russia draws economic benefits from the Middle East war, citing the limited easing of American sanctions on Russian oil.

“Russia gets additional money because of this, so yes, they have benefits,” he said.

To keep Ukraine on the international agenda, Mr Zelensky has offered to share Ukraine’s hard-earned battlefield expertise with the US and allies to develop effective counter-measures against Iranian attacks.

Ukraine has met Russia’s evolving use of Iranian-made Shahed drones with growing sophistication, technological ingenuity and low cost.

Moscow significantly modified the original Shahed-136, rebranded as the Geran-2, enhancing its ability to evade air defences and be mass produced. Ukraine responded with quick innovation of its own, including low-cost interceptor drones designed to track and destroy incoming drones.

Mr Zelensky said Ukraine is ready to share its experience and technology with Gulf Arab countries targeted by Iran, including interceptor drones and sea drones, which Ukraine produces — more than are used — with funding from the US and its European partners.

In return, these countries could help Ukraine “with anti-ballistic missiles”, he added.

In late March, as the Iran war escalated, Mr Zelensky visited Gulf Arab states to promote Ukraine’s experience in countering Iranian-made Shahed drones, leading to new defence co-operation agreements.

He has also positioned Ukraine as a potential partner in safeguarding global trade routes, offering assistance in reopening the Strait of Hormuz by sharing Ukraine’s experiences securing maritime corridors in the Black Sea.

He was in Istanbul for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a day after the Turkish leader spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Mr Zelensky said they discussed peace talks and a possible meeting of leaders in Istanbul. He also said there could be new defence deals signed between the two countries soon.