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Zelenskyy says Ukraine awaits White House approval for US drone production deal
Ukraine is awaiting White House approval for a major drone production agreement proposed last year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday, as countries work to strengthen their air defenses following vulnerabilities exposed by the Iran war.
The proposed deal would cover a range of drones and integrated air defense systems capable of countering swarms of hundreds or even thousands of Iranian-designed Shahed drones and missiles, Zelenskyy said in a social media message. “We have not yet had the opportunity to sign this document,” he added.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine over four years ago, Moscow has launched tens of thousands of Shahed drones, including a nighttime barrage of more than 800 drones and decoys. Iran has similarly used these drones in response to U.S.-Israeli strikes in the Middle East. Ukraine has developed low-cost drone countermeasures, some costing only a few thousand dollars, that have changed the approach to air defense.
Zelenskyy suggested that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East might prompt U.S. officials to approve the drone production deal. Ukraine aims to secure future foreign support for its efforts against Russia and sees such agreements as a source of diplomatic leverage in negotiations with Moscow. U.S.-mediated talks to end Europe’s largest conflict since World War II remain on hold because of the Iran war.
On Thursday, Zelenskyy arrived in Romania, ahead of a visit to Paris to meet French President Emmanuel Macron. New research shows that Russia’s oil revenue, which fuels its war effort, has risen since the Iran war began. Daily oil income has averaged 14% higher than in February, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Macron is expected to discuss ways to curb Russia’s “shadow fleet” of tankers that bypass international sanctions.
In Bucharest, Zelenskyy was scheduled to meet Romanian President NicuÈ™or Dan and Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, and visit a training center for Ukrainian F-16 pilots. Romania has supported Ukraine with energy supplies and has served as a key route for exporting Ukrainian grain amid attacks on the country’s power grid.
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