Zelensky Warns Iran War Could Undermine Ukraine's Air Defenses
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that a prolonged conflict in Iran could complicate Kyiv's access to US missile defense systems. Supplies of these systems are already limited, he said, primarily due to constrained production capacity in the United States.
While there have been no disruptions to supply or intelligence support so far, Zelensky cautioned that the situation could deteriorate if tensions in the Middle East deepen.
He also noted that Ukraine acquires some of its weaponry through the PURL programme, which allows NATO countries to finance arms purchases for Kyiv, and described the mechanism as critical, particularly for Patriot systems. Growing global conflicts, he warned, could threaten the availability of such funding packages.
Zelensky also highlighted Ukraine's cooperation with Middle Eastern countries, to which Kyiv is transferring expertise in countering drones. Russia has been deploying similar systems with the support of Iranian technology. He described the arrangement as a combination of training and know-how sharing.