Middle East

Global demand for weapons will keep rising, MP says

Even after the current war in the Middle East ends, global demand for armaments, especially air defense equipment, will continue rising, Ukrainian MP and Defense Committee chair Roman Kostenko told NV Radio on March 9.

9 March, 10:51 PM

Trilateral meeting postponed as U.S. focuses on Iran, Zelenskyy says

Trilateral Ukraine–U.S.–Russia talks initially scheduled for this week are postponed, since Washington is currently focused on the war in the Middle East, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on March 9.

9 March, 08:04 PM

Strait of Hormuz traffic drops to near zero

Since Monday, March 2, only nine commercial vessels have transited the Strait of Hormuz, while an average of 138 vessels crossed the waterway daily before the U.S.–Israeli operation against Iran began on Feb. 28, AFP reported on March 6.

7 March, 01:38 AM

U.S. may lift sanctions on Russian oil as global prices surge

Washington is considering lifting sanctions on some Russian oil to increase supply as the U.S.–Israeli operation in Iran has paralyzed civilian shipping in the region, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on March 6, as reported by Reuters.

7 March, 01:02 AM

U.S. asks Ukraine to help defend against Shahed drones

Washington asked for Ukrainian technical assistance and expertise in setting up a cost-effective defense against cheap Iranian drones in the Middle East, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on March 5.

5 March, 08:35 PM

Patriot missile supplies to Ukraine may fall short amid Middle East war — analyst

Aviation analyst Kostyantyn Kryvolap discussed on Radio NV how the war in the Middle East could affect supplies of missiles for Patriot air defense systems and what options exist to protect against ballistic threats on March 5.

5 March, 06:49 PM

At least 80 dead in Iranian frigate sinking, Sri Lanka says

At least 80 people were killed when a U.S. submarine torpedoed an Iranian warship south of Sri Lanka, the Guardian reported on March 4.

5 March, 02:50 AM

Iranian drones a ‘challenge’ for U.S. air defenses, report says

The U.S. military considers Iranian Shahed drones a “challenge” and believes current U.S. air defenses cannot reliably intercept all of them, CNN reported on March 4, citing people who attended a closed congressional briefing on the matter.

5 March, 02:06 AM

International law shields dictators and killers — Bild

Western politicians condemning U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran ignore that current international law, in effect, protects dictators and killers, Jan Schäfer, head of the political desk at German tabloid Bild, wrote on March 3.

5 March, 01:35 AM

Ukraine–U.S.–Russia talks on ice for now, report says

The next round of trilateral talks between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia currently has no set date or location, Suspilne public broadcaster reported on March 4, citing a source in the Ukrainian delegation.

5 March, 12:07 AM

Zelenskyy orders plans to help Middle East against Shahed drones

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed senior government and military officials to draft plans for assisting countries in the Middle East with countering Iranian drones, the president said on March 4.

4 March, 10:40 PM

Zelenskyy discusses regional security with UAE leader after Iranian attacks

Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy discussed the security situation in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf following Iranian missile strikes during a call with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Zelenskyy said on Tuesday, March 3.

4 March, 11:27 AM

UAE opens emergency air corridors to evacuate tourists

The United Arab Emirates has opened safe air corridors with neighboring Middle Eastern countries to help tourists leave the country and to ease the return of Emirati citizens, CNN reported March 3.

3 March, 11:12 PM

Ukraine can easily spare officers to consult Middle East on countering Shahed UAVs, expert says

Dispatching a handful of military consultants to help Gulf states set up cost-effective counters to Iranian Shahed drones would not meaningfully impact Ukraine’s own air defense, Ukrainian veteran officer Yevhen Dykyi told NV on March 3.

3 March, 10:27 PM

Ukraine, Qatar to cooperate on drone defense — Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, discussed the expanding war in the Middle East and agreed to deepen security ties, Zelenskyy said on March 3.

3 March, 07:51 PM

Meloni blames Russia’s war for spiraling Middle East chaos

The war in the Middle East is a direct consequence of the destruction of international law, in particular Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in an interview with TG5 on March 2.

3 March, 11:03 AM

Ukraine’s drone defense offers blueprint for US Gulf allies

U.S. allies and partners in the Middle East should draw on Ukraine’s years of experience defending against massive, near-nightly Russian missile and drone attacks, most of which include Iranian-designed Shahed drones, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on March 2.

3 March, 09:50 AM

Iranian missiles could threaten Kyiv, Warsaw, Berlin, analysis shows

Iranian ballistic missiles could reach targets in Europe as far west as Berlin, based on publicly available specifications, Ukrainian outlet Defense Express wrote on March 2.

3 March, 02:39 AM

World safer if Iran’s regime falls, FM Sybiha says

The Iranian regime has been one of the main sources of regional and international instability for years and its collapse would significantly improve security in the Middle East and beyond, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on March 2.

3 March, 02:03 AM

Iran closes Strait of Hormuz — Reuters

A senior IRGC commander told state media that the Strait of Hormuz is closed and that Iran would open fire on any vessel that tries to transit the waterway, Reuters reported on March 2.

3 March, 12:41 AM

Middle East

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