Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that Ukraine is prepared to help the United States confront Iran, citing Kyiv's hard-won experience fighting Tehran-designed Shahed drones during Russia's invasion.
In a series of international media interviews, Zelenskyy said Ukraine has developed expertise that could help defend American personnel and allied interests as tensions rise in the Middle East.
His comments came after President Donald Trump called on other nations to help protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global trade route for oil shipments, following America's launch of "Operation Epic Fury" against Iran.
Iranian officials have since threatened ships attempting to pass through the waterway.
"Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others, that are affected by this artificial constraint, will send Ships to the area so that the Hormuz Strait will no longer be a threat by a Nation that has been totally decapitated," Trump wrote on Truth Social on March 14.
Countries including Australia, Japan and Italy have reportedly declined to join the effort.
Zelenskyy told the New York Post that Ukraine "reacted immediately" when the United States launched operations against Iran.
"Whenever it is possible for us to help defending civilians or U.S. nationals, without second thought we sent our teams," he explained, adding that Ukraine hopes to assist the U.S. military with its experience against Shahed drones.
He also told the Post that Ukraine had already sent experts on Iranian drones to the Middle East.
In a separate social media post, Zelenskyy said Ukraine should not be viewed only as a country asking for aid.
"I would like the U.S. not to perceive Ukraine as a country that merely asks for help," he wrote on X. "That is not the case. Ukraine is defending interests and values."
"Of course, the U.S. is right when it says it is farther from this war than Europe," Zelenskyy continued. "That is understandable. But we see U.S. allies in the Middle East, and we see what – and who – threatens them."
Zelenskyy also said Ukraine could make a broader contribution.
"We could build the world's biggest drone factory," he suggested. "The United States would provide production and financing. Ukraine would provide the technology and experience."
"We can use it to defend American soldiers on bases," the Ukrainian leader offered.
He made similar remarks to i24NEWS and The Jerusalem Post, arguing that Ukraine has effectively become a testing ground for Iran's drone warfare.
"Ukraine was kind of an experiment place for these drones in the end," Zelenskyy told The Jerusalem Post. "You can't even compare the first class [of] Shahed, what was at the very beginning of the war, and today's Shahed."
Trump, however, dismissed the offer.
"We don't need help," Trump told NBC News on Saturday. "The last person we need help from is Zelenskyy."
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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