Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that drone experts dispatched to the Middle East will return by the end of this week.

“By the end of the week, our military personnel and the NSDC (National Security and Defence Council) secretary will return and provide a full report. We will then understand the scope of the assistance our partners expect from us,” Zelensky has said on X.

He notes that Middle Eastern countries, the US and Europe have a certain number of interceptor drones, but adds that without Ukrainian pilots, military personnel or specialised software, “none of this works”.

“This system exists only within our armed forces; it is official, and therefore everyone understands: even with dozens or hundreds of interceptors, they will not be able to stabilise the situation,” Zelensky has said.

“This is a systemic defence. And it is precisely the experts in systemic defence, professionals in air defence and in the use of short-range air defence, that have been sent to the Middle Eastern countries.”