From student to teacher in anti-aircraft defense
There is a geopolitical irony here that no one saw coming. The country that has suffered the most under attack by Iranian Shahed drones—launched by Russia—is now advising other nations on how to defend themselves against them. Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed it: several countries, including the United States and Gulf nations, have asked Ukraine for help.
“We help defend from war those who help us, Ukraine, achieve a just end to the war,” said the Ukrainian president.
But there are clear conditions. Assistance will only be given if it does not weaken its own defenses and if it strengthens kyiv’s diplomatic position to stop the Russian invasion. It is not charity; It’s pure strategy.
The Ukrainian ‘drone killer’ factory
Ukraine rewrote the air defense manual out of necessity. They developed low-cost interceptors—starting at $1,000—specifically to hunt Shaheds. Its industry has excess production and now plans to export combat-proven systems.
Last September, Poland already taught a lesson by deploying F-35 and F-16 fighters worth millions to respond to cheap drones. It was a wake-up call for Europe: war has changed.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, confirmed that they will analyze how the Ukrainian experience can help the Gulf countries. The cooperation is already underway.
A front that distracts the other
Meanwhile, the conflict in the Middle East is having a direct knock-on effect in Ukraine: it delays peace talks.
“Right now, due to the situation around Iran, there are still no necessary signals for a trilateral meeting,” Zelenskyy said of the US-brokered negotiations.
Oleksandr Merezhko, head of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee, was more direct: Putin is prolonging negotiations to continue making progress on the ground while avoiding sanctions. And he connected the dots between both conflicts.
“In reality, Russia and Iran are close allies acting in concert,” Merezhko told The Associated Press. “These are interconnected conflicts.”
On the battlefield, however, there are tantalizing signs. The Institute for the Study of War reports that Ukraine regained more territory than it lost in recent weeks—some 257 km² since January.
The paradox is clear: while Ukraine teaches the world to defend itself from the Iranian arsenal used by Russia, that same Moscow-Tehran alliance complicates its chances for peace. A geopolitical cycle where every movement has unforeseen consequences.
