Leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy have acknowledged the “drone interception expertise” of Volodymyr Zelensky during discussions on the situation involving Iran on Friday.
During a phone conversation, the leaders praised Zelensky for offering assistance to partners in the Middle East and stressed the need to ensure continued large-scale support for Ukraine.
The prime ministers and presidents also condemned Iran’s “egregious attacks,” as Keir Starmer provided an update on defensive measures taken by the UK to safeguard and support allies in the region.
Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, and Giorgia Meloni agreed that sustained diplomatic engagement and close military coordination would be crucial in the coming days.
They also emphasized the importance of working closely on developments around the Strait of Hormuz and reiterated concerns about the security situation in Lebanon, where Israel has launched strikes on several targets.
In a post on the social media platform X on Wednesday, Zelensky announced that Ukraine would deploy some of its military specialists to the Middle East to help counter Iranian drones and missile threats.
The move followed consultations between Kyiv and its partners across Europe, the United States, and several Gulf states including Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
Zelensky explained that the Iranian delta-wing attack drones “are the same ‘shaheds’ that have been striking our cities, villages, and our Ukrainian infrastructure throughout this war.”
He added that more than 800 missiles and 1,400 attack drones launched by Iran in recent days “pose the main threat to free navigation, destabilizing global prices for oil, petroleum products, and gas.”
Meanwhile, in addition to deploying F-35 fighter jets, radar systems, and air-defense assets to the region, the UK has also sent the HMS Dragon warship along with Royal Navy Wildcat helicopters as tensions escalate.
France has also moved to reinforce its military presence, with Macron announcing that the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier and its strike group will be deployed to the Mediterranean due to what he described as the “unstable situation and the uncertainties of the days ahead.”
