Zelenskiy Says Nearly 20 Countries Interested in Ukraine Drone Deals

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that nearly 20 countries are interested in drone deals with Ukraine. Four agreements have already been signed and the first contracts under those agreements are now being prepared, he added. Zelenskiy made the statement on X.

He has used Ukraine's expertise in drone warfare to secure diplomatic agreements during visits to the Middle East and Europe since the outbreak of the Iran war in late February. "Nearly 20 countries are currently involved at various stages: 4 agreements have already been signed, and the first contracts under these agreements are now being prepared," Zelenskiy said on X.

April, Ukraine signed defence and drone deals with Germany, Norway and the Netherlands. Those followed long-term security partnerships signed with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in late March. Ukraine also signed agreements last month with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on defence and energy.

Zelenskiy said Ukraine would launch security cooperation within the framework of drone deals with another part of the world, without specifying the region.

Zelenskiy added that Ukraine has already started to receive the necessary volume of fuel thanks to the agreements. He did not provide further details. Zelenskiy hopes the drone diplomacy can help secure energy-supply deals with Middle Eastern states as well as markets for Ukraine's agricultural produce.