Video: Zelenskyy pitches US-Ukraine air defence partnership to counter cheap drones
Abdullateef Fowewe
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed a strategic alliance with the United States to revolutionise air defenses against the rising threat of low-cost drones, highlighting the futility of relying solely on expensive missile systems.
In a video-accompanied post on X, Zelenskyy on Tuesday argued that traditional defenses are outmatched by Iran’s mass-produced Shahed drones.
“Thousands of Patriot missiles cannot stop tens of thousands of Iranian ‘shaheds.’ One such drone is forty times cheaper than a single Patriot missile. Therefore, in terms of production time and the cost of missiles, it is impossible to compete with drones. There simply will not be enough capacity,” he wrote.
Zelenskyy emphasised Ukraine’s expertise in drone warfare paired with America’s anti-ballistic prowess.
“Ukraine has the entire air defense system, except for anti-ballistic capabilities. The United States has excellent anti-ballistic systems. By combining these two strengths, it is possible to close the sky over any state facing a massive attack and protect not only civilians and the military, but also critical facilities.”
He warned of drones’ evolving reach, stating, “In the long run, drones will have no range limits. Today they fly 100 kilometers; tomorrow it will be a thousand, and the day after tomorrow 10 thousand.”
Framing it as a mutual security exchange, Zelenskyy positioned Ukraine as a leader: “That is why modern defenses must be built. Today Ukraine is number one in these technologies, and the United States has the most effective and strongest army in the world. If we are talking about an exchange – a real exchange of security, security guarantees, and experience – we are open to it… This is a real partnership proposal.”
