A top Ukrainian diplomat told NBC News in a report published Thursday that Kyiv had brokered an agreement with Washington to share its drone technology, potentially allowing for collaboration to improve drone models.
The report follows the Ukrainian government, including President Volodymyr Zelensky personally, promoting Ukraine as a global heavyweight in drone technology, both in developing its own drones to resist the ongoing Russian invasion of its territory and in responding to the use of inexpensive Iranian “Shahed” drones on the battlefield. Zelensky has offered his Shahed experts to Gulf states facing periodic terrorist attacks by the Iranian regime and the experts are believed to be aiding with national security in Saudi Arabia, a routine target of the Iranian terror state.
Houthi supporters hold a rally in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, July 17, 2026, against the Saudi-led coalition. Banner in Arabic reads, “All Saudi oil facilities are targets to our missiles and drones.” (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman)
The report also follows Zelensky visiting the White House for a cordial meeting with President Donald Trump, preceding his attendance at the funeral of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Both leaders described the meeting as a positive encounter in which they discussed potential paths to an end to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
According to NBC News, the agreement between Washington and Kyiv involved “allowing Ukrainian-made weaponry to be sent to the U.S. for military testing and evaluation.” An anonymous “senior administration official” reportedly confirmed the deal as well as Ukraine’s ambassador to Washington, Olha Stefanishyna.
The report offered few other details about the alleged agreement, which at press time has not been confirmed publicly. NBC News speculated that the agreement could hint at an alleged “growing munitions shortage” in the United States after months of conflict with Iran, though the Ukraine conflict is distinct from Operation Epic Fury, America’s operations against the Iranian regime.
President Donald J. Trump greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Roosevelt Room, Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)
That line between the Russian invasion of Ukraine and America’s conflict with Iran has blurred on occasions, particularly since Ukraine has for years accused Iran of providing inexpensive suicide drones to the Russian military. Zelensky appeared to flip that script recently before his visit to the United States, however, suggesting that Russia is the partner now aiding Iran’s ongoing terror campaign against America and its allies. In remarks to the public on July 25, Zelensky announced that he would share intelligence relating to “Russia’s new assistance to the Iranian regime.” Zelensky accused the Russian of offering satellite intelligence to help Iran effectively target American military facilities throughout the Middle East and to attack its Gulf neighbors.
“There is a clear correlation between Russia’s satellite imagery of these sites and Iranian strikes – both before the attacks, in preparation for them, and afterward, to assess the damage inflicted,” Zelensky contended.
Conversely, as a result of Iran’s aid to Russia, Zelensky revealed last week that his government had targeted and bombed Iranian vessels believed to be carrying military hardware for the Russian armed forces.
“We also achieved very strong results with long‑range strikes in the Caspian Sea — including vessels used in military cargo shipments involving Iran, as well as a warship,” he said in a military update on Saturday.
The Iranian regime reacted with outrage and threats to Zelensky’s revelation, warning that Tehran would retaliate. The Iranians also claimed that the vessels targeted were not engaged in any military activities.
“Zelenskyy has attacked an Iranian commercial vessel, killing a sailor. A blatant UN Charter violation done at Israel’s behest to drag Europe into its war,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi complained. “In calls with EU High Rep [Kaja] Kallas and [Russian] FM [Sergey] Lavrov, made clear that what the freeloader in Kyiv did CANNOT GO UNANSWERED.”
Prior to this direct attack, Ukraine had already found a role in operations against Iran. Zelensky visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia in March, shortly after the Iran-U.S. conflict began, offering his country’s expertise in combatting Iranian military equipment. Both countries, along with neighbors such as Bahrain and Kuwait, were among the first targeted by Iranian strikes following the launch of “Operation Epic Fury.” Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have, in particular, continued to face targeted Iranian strikes.
The visit to Saudi Arabia resulted in the signing of a defense agreement in which Ukraine would “share … expertise and systems with Saudi Arabia and work together to strengthen the protection of lives,” according to the Ukrainian president.
“Ukrainians are resisting the same kind of terrorist attacks — ballistic missiles and drones — that the Iranian regime is currently carrying out in the Middle East and the Gulf region,” Zelensky announced at the time.
The Ukrainian president had also at the time offered to help American forces against Iran, citing the many years of extensive financial and defense aid that Washington had provided his country.
“Whenever it is possible for us to help defending civilians or U.S. nationals, without second thought we sent our teams,’’ he told the New York Post at the time. “I would like the U.S. not to perceive Ukraine as a country that merely asks for help. That is not the case. Ukraine is defending interests and values.”
“We don’t need help,” Trump told reporters at the time. “The last person we need help from is Zelensky.”
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