Zelensky Weighs Ukraine’s Role as Iranian Strikes on Middle East Continue

March 5 ------ President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Ukrainian defense, intelligence, and military officials to discuss the fallout of ongoing US-Israeli military action in the Middle East.

In a social media post, Zelensky said that the meeting’s agenda included “the challenges for Ukraine and our partners, as well as our capacity to help protect lives, prevent the war from expanding, and stabilize global markets.” Iran’s neighbors have borne the brunt of its response to the US-Israeli attack, with Iranian missiles and drones raining down across the Gulf states.

Zelensky said he had spoken with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar on Tuesday, and held discussions with the leaders of Jordan and Bahrain earlier on Wednesday, with future talks planned for Kuwait and other countries in the region. “The Iranian regime, which is striving to survive at any cost, poses clear threats to all states in the region and to global stability. No country close to Iran can feel secure,” he said, adding that the Iranian attack drones targeting those countries “are the same Shaheds that have been striking our cities, villages, and our Ukrainian infrastructure throughout [Russia’s war in Ukraine].”

Ukraine’s capacity to contribute to the region’s defense was also discussed. Zelensky said he had tasked Ukraine’s foreign and defense ministers, as well as intelligence agencies, military command, and National Security and Defense Council (RNBO) Secretary Rustem Umerov, with presenting options “for assisting the relevant countries and to provide aid in a way that does not weaken our own defense here in Ukraine.”

In his address to last year’s UN General Assembly, Zelensky emphasized again and again how global conflict has led to the rapid development of new weapons, particularly drones. Four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine is at the forefront of these developments – as well as efforts to defend against them. “Our military possesses the necessary capabilities,” Zelensky said. “Ukrainian experts will operate on-site, and teams are already coordinating these efforts.”

In a separate post on Telegram, Zelensky said that he and Umerov – who is also one of Ukraine’s lead negotiators in stalled, US-led peace talks with Russia – continue to communicate with the US administration “practically on a daily basis” but that it has not given the “necessary signals” for a round of trilateral talks with Russia originally slated to take place in early March.

The US and Ukrainian delegations last met in Geneva on Feb. 26 to prepare for the trilateral talks, which the ongoing US military action in Iran appears to have derailed.

Source: kyivpost.com