While Gulf countries have access to high-tech missile defense systems like the Patriot system, they have struggled to deal with the high volume of Shahed drones—an Iranian-made 11ft unmanned one-way attack drone—unleashed by Iran.
Iran’s ally, Russia, has used the Shaheds to attack Ukrainian cities for years. Out of necessity, Ukraine has developed an array of cheap Interceptors and jamming equipment to bring them down.
Ukraine’s expertise in this area has given Zelensky a diplomatic boost at a time when he is under pressure on the battlefield, and when the U.S. has been pressing him to accept unfavorable ceasefire terms with Russia.
In remarks released on Sunday, Zelensky said U.S. military contractors and President Trump himself had expressed an interest in purchasing Ukraine’s drone defense technology.
“We received a message from them, and directly from the president as well, that they are interested,” Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv. “We did not sign the document with President Trump. I do not have an answer as to why. Perhaps it will happen later, but I am not sure.”