‘Don’t want to lose US backing because of Iran war,’ says Zelensky after Trump rejects his ‘help’
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Don’t want to lose US backing because of Iran war,’ says Zelensky after Trump rejects his ‘help’")
A picture obtained from the X account of Volodymyr Zelensky on January 22, 2026, shows Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and US President Donald Trump shaking hands during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos. Photograph: (AFP)
Ukrainian President Zelensky expressed concern that escalating US-Iran tensions could divert American support from Ukraine. To maintain relevance, Kyiv offered drone-defence expertise to Middle Eastern allies.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed grave concern on Sunday (March 15) that the escalating conflict between the US and Iran could distract Washington from Ukraine’s fight against Russia. Speaking to reporters in a briefing, the Ukrainian leader acknowledged that US officials are "without a doubt currently preoccupied with the Middle East." His comments come just two weeks after a series of US and Israeli strikes on Iranian military and energy infrastructure sparked a regional crisis.
Ukraine offers drone expertise as ‘Trump card’
In an effort to remain a relevant ally, Zelensky revealed that Ukraine has deployed military expert teams to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates to share hard-won experience in intercepting Iranian-made drones.
"We are showing our willingness to help the US and their allies in the Middle East," Zelensky said. "We strongly hope that... the United States will not turn its back on the question of the war in Ukraine,” he added.
Ukraine has faced years of barrages from Iranian-designed Shahed drones launched by Russia, leading Kyiv to develop some of the world’s most cost-effective anti-drone tactics. But the American President Donald Trump has been publicly dismissive of the offer. Trump told reporters that the US has "the best drones in the world" and that Zelensky is "the last person the United States would need help from" in a fight against Iran.
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‘Will work with any leadership...’
Beyond Washington, Zelensky addressed deteriorating relations with Budapest. He signalled a willingness to work with "any leadership in Hungary," provided they are not a "tool" of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The remarks came weeks after escalating friction with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has recently blocked a €90 billion EU loan intended for Ukraine and has accused Kyiv of political sabotage regarding the closure of the Druzhba oil pipeline. The PM also seized Ukrainian bank vehicles carrying cash and gold, alleging a money-laundering investigation - a move Kyiv labelled as “hostage-taking.”
