Ukraine heads to US with drone proposal Trump dismissed before war with Iran
on Google
Ukrainian negotiators traveling to the U.S. on March 20 will present the Trump administration with a proposal for expanded drone cooperation, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in response to a question from the Kyiv Independent.
The initiative centers on sharing Ukraine's battle-tested drone technology — particularly systems designed to counter Iranian-made Shahed-type attack drones — at a time when the U.S. faces similar threats in the Middle East.
The push reflects Kyiv's broader strategy to deepen cooperation with Washington even as diplomatic efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine remain uncertain.
Ukraine floated the idea of such cooperation last year but now aims to formalize it.
"They are our priority partner; it's not just about interceptor drones — it's primarily about maritime drones and our long-range drones, battle-tested," he said. "This includes a package of knowledge sharing, training, and so on."
Ukraine has spent years developing drone capabilities under wartime pressure. Its forces have used unmanned systems to strike Russian oil refineries, naval assets, and military infrastructure, while also building defenses against mass drone attacks.
Those capabilities have drawn attention in Washington — particularly as the U.S. now faces the same Iranian drone threat Ukraine has been countering for years.
The missed opportunity
According to Axios, U.S. officials now view last year's decision to reject certain Ukrainian anti-drone technologies as a major missed opportunity — particularly as Iran intensifies its use of drones against U.S. targets in the Middle East.
Tehran has launched waves of drones and missiles at U.S. military bases and infrastructure across the region in response to recent U.S.-Israeli strikes.
Ukraine has been defending against these same Iranian-designed Shahed drones since 2022, developing counter-drone systems through brutal trial and error on the battlefield.
Despite this proven track record, U.S. President Donald Trump publicly downplayed the need for Ukrainian assistance on March 13.
"The last person we need help from is Zelensky," Trump said. "We don't need (Ukraine's) help. We know more about drones than anybody."
Zelensky, however, signaled readiness to proceed regardless of the rhetoric.
"I am very interested in signing this agreement with our close partner, the U.S. So when President Trump is ready, I will definitely be ready," he said.
The Kyiv Independent has reached out to the White House for a comment.
The broader agenda
The drone proposal will be part of a broader agenda during the talks.
Ukraine's team includes senior officials such as Rustem Umerov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, and Kyrylo Budanov, head of Zelensky's office.
According to the president, the delegation has three primary objectives.
"Their main task is to establish clear parameters for the continuation of the trilateral meetings," Zelensky said. "The second is to prepare for these meetings. The third is the PURL program, through which we are purchasing missiles for the Patriot system."
The visit comes against the backdrop of increasingly uncertain diplomacy.
The latest round of trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States took place on Feb. 16. A follow-up meeting planned for late February and later rescheduled for early March was postponed shortly before Washington launched strikes on Iran.
Since then, both Ukrainian and Russian officials have indicated that negotiations have effectively paused, as U.S. attention shifted toward the Middle East.
Zelensky acknowledged the situation directly.
"Russians don't want to come to America," he said. "And as for the U.S. side, there's still a war going on in the Middle East. Their presence in America is a priority."
"That's why our group is going to the U.S."
At the center of the stalled peace talks remains the most contentious issue of the war: the future of Russian-occupied territories, particularly in eastern Ukraine.
