Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine is offering the United States to enter into a so-called “drone deal,” under which Kyiv is ready to provide supplies of drones and specialists, particularly for countries in the Middle East, in exchange for receiving scarce missiles for the PAC-2 and PAC-3 air defense systems.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Proposals for Partners and the Strategic Importance of the Deal
According to the president, a year ago, Ukraine approached the U.S. with an initiative for drone cooperation, which included not only the supply of interceptors but also joint development of production capacities. However, as Zelensky emphasized, the lack of funding limits Kyiv’s ability to fully utilize its potential.
“And overall, you know that a year ago we proposed a drone deal to the U.S. that included interceptors and not just that; basically, it was our overall experience, our general production capabilities in a volume that we are not using today, meaning we simply do not have the finances to fund all production, all our capabilities,” he said.
At the same time, the president stressed that interest in this initiative is shown not only by the U.S. but also by countries in the Middle East. According to Zelensky, requests from states in the region could become part of a joint agreement, and drone cooperation with Washington remains relevant today.
International Interest and Ukrainian Experience in Fighting Drones
When asked about the assessment from the United States regarding whether American partners understand Ukraine’s strengths in the field of drone combat, Zelensky replied that all specialists from the U.S. recognize the value of Ukrainian experience. He noted that even those countries that previously procured interceptor drones independently have already realized the necessity of cooperating with Ukrainian operators, software, and utilizing comprehensive solutions for effective protection against drone attacks.
In October 2025, NSDC Secretary Rustem Umerov reported on negotiations regarding the drone deal with the U.S. Recently, Zelensky reminded that Ukraine received 11 international requests for the supply of drones to repel drone attacks, including from countries neighboring Iran, as well as from European states and America.
Additionally, on March 4, the president announced that Ukraine would provide assistance to countries in the Middle East in strengthening their counter-drone defenses: Ukrainian experts will work directly on-site.
According to media reports, in addition to the U.S., interest in purchasing Ukrainian interceptor drones has been expressed by one of the Gulf countries. The aim is to counter Iranian “Shaheds.” In exchange for support, Zelensky urges partners to provide Ukraine with missiles for air defense systems, which are critically important for defense against massive attacks from the Russian Federation.