The ongoing military escalation in the Middle East has opened what former Ukrainian Ambassador Serhiy Korsunsky calls "a colossal opportunity" for Kyiv - a chance to trade its battle-tested anti-drone expertise for Patriot missile systems Ukraine cannot produce on its own.
Speaking on Yuriy Romanenko's broadcast on March 5, Korsunsky confirmed that the United States has already requested Ukrainian anti-drone systems used against Shaheds, as "Hvylya" reported. President Zelensky has offered to send specialists to the region.
"For us, this is absolutely a colossal opportunity. It would mean a tremendous boost to our authority and the future ability to obtain resources we desperately need," the diplomat said. The proposed formula is straightforward: Ukraine provides anti-drone systems it can manufacture, and in return receives Patriots it cannot - systems essential for defending against Kinzhal missiles and other Russian weapons.
But Korsunsky issued a blunt warning. "All of this must be done under appropriate intelligence cover so that our technology and know-how don't leak to Russia," he said. The diplomat pointed specifically to the United Arab Emirates, where "quite a few Russians" with connections to the military-industrial complex are based. Sharing cutting-edge defense systems with Middle Eastern partners without rigorous safeguards could hand Moscow exactly what it needs to neutralize Ukraine's drone-fighting advantage.
For years, Korsunsky said, Ukraine had been telling partners across Asia and the Middle East that cheap drone warfare would arrive at their doorstep. "They didn't listen," he recalled, noting that even Japanese officials shrugged off his warnings about North Korean drones three years ago. Now, with the region in crisis, that expertise has become the most sought-after commodity in the defense market.
Also read: Competition Is Already Lining Up: What Awaits Ukrainian Counter-Drone Technology After the War