Zelenskiy: Nearly 20 Countries in Talks for Drone Deals with Ukraine
Ukraine's Expanding Drone Diplomacy and International Agreements
Growing International Interest in Drone Deals
KYIV, May 11 (Reuters) - Nearly 20 countries are interested in drone deals with Ukraine and four agreements have already been signed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday.
Leveraging Expertise Since the Iran War
Since the outbreak of the Iran war in late February, Zelenskiy has managed to leverage Ukraine's expertise in drone warfare into a series of successful diplomatic deals during visits to the Middle East and Europe.
Stages of Negotiations and Signed Agreements
"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.
Recent Defence and Drone Deals
In April, Ukraine signed defence and drone deals in Germany, Norway and the Netherlands, following long-term security partnerships 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.
Future Cooperation and Broader Impacts
In his post, Zelenskiy also said Ukraine would launch security cooperation within the framework of drone deals with another part of the world, without specifying which.
Ukraine has already started to receive the necessary volume of fuel thanks to the agreements, Zelenskiy added, without elaborating.
Energy and Agricultural Supply Goals
Zelenskiy hopes his drone diplomacy can help secure energy-supply deals with Middle Eastern states as well as markets for Ukraine's agricultural produce.
(Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka; Editing by Gareth Jones)
