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President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that the war in the Middle East could leave Ukraine struggling to source air defence missiles.
He also said there was “a risk” Ukraine’s allies could be distracted by the conflict, and forget his country’s defence against Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“We could find ourselves having difficulty obtaining missiles and weapons to defend our skies,” he told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. “The Americans and their allies in the Middle East might need them to defend themselves, for example Patriot missiles.”
Asked if there was a risk the United States and the European Union could forget Ukraine’s defence while focused on the Middle East, Zelensky replied: “Of course, it’s a risk. But I hope the Iranian crisis remains a limited operation and doesn’t turn into a long war. We know first-hand how bloody it risks being.”
For years Ukraine has become accustomed to being in the eyes of the world. Last week the streets of Kyiv thronged with Western leaders marking the grim, fourth anniversary of the moment Russia launched its all-out war.
But a few days later, people here in Ukraine’s capital have felt an almost tangible shift of focus away to another conflict. Some here have pointed out the reaction of Gulf residents to drone strikes that in Kyiv would prompt no more than a shrug. But more fear what the fighting in the Middle East might mean for them.
Zelensky’s remarks illustrate that uncertainty. On one hand he is gloomy, pointing to the risks that Ukraine’s defence against Russia becomes a forgotten war. There is already uncertainty about whether the latest planned talks with the US and Russia will take place.
He is also aware the vast numbers of air defence interceptor missiles being fired off by Gulf countries could lead to a global shortage, making such weapons more expensive and harder to find.
That was certainly true last summer when Israel and the US attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities. “Israel was under Iranian attack then, and missile delivery programs for us were slowed down,” Zelensky said. “It hasn’t happened yet, but I fear it could happen again.”
On Truth Social, President Trump claimed the US had an “unlimited supply” of arms. But he also used his post to mock Zelensky as “PT Barnum”, a 19th-Century US showman and hoaxer, suggesting Ukraine’s leader had tricked President Joe Biden into giving away too many US weapons for free.
Nonetheless, Zelensky has also looked for positives. Iran has sold Russia tens of thousands of Shahed drones that almost nightly wreak deadly havoc on Ukraine. That may stop. “I think attacking Iranian military targets was a good decision,” he said. “The Iranians produce a lot of weapons for Russia, especially drones and missiles, although I don’t think they’ll be able to do that anymore.”
Analysts point out however that Russia now also produces Shaheds domestically, after taking Iran’s design and modifying it for attacks on Ukrainian cities.
BBC
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