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Just one week ago, Ukraine and Russia were set to sit down for continued negotiations aimed at ending their four-year war.

But in a twist, the meeting’s location is now up in the air because Iran—Russia’s ally—is attacking the originally planned location, Abu Dhabi.

Just one week ago, Ukraine and Russia were set to sit down for continued negotiations aimed at ending their four-year war.

But in a twist, the meeting’s location is now up in the air because Iran—Russia’s ally—is attacking the originally planned location, Abu Dhabi.

The canceled location is so far one of the few visible signs of how the U.S. war on Iran is immediately affecting the future of the Russia-Ukraine war. But analysts, diplomats, and U.S. congressional staff see danger ahead as the war eats into key munitions stockpiles and influences U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign-policy calculus—with some predicting that a quagmire in Iran could cause Trump to push even harder to end the war in Ukraine.

On the flip side, though, the Iran war could buy Ukraine some political capital in the White House and U.S. Defense Department. And that’s because the United States is currently asking for Ukraine’s help in battling Tehran’s Shahed drones.

Iran produces drones for less than $50,000 each, but the United States and its allies have few methods of cheaply destroying them. But Ukraine has developed cost-effective methods of destroying the drones, a version of which Russia also produces with assistance from Iran. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that he will provide the United States with the help it needs. “I gave instructions to provide the necessary means and ensure the presence of Ukrainian specialists who can guarantee the required security,” he said.

Ukraine is also helping the Gulf states, which have been reportedly using expensive Patriot missiles to destroy the cheap drones. Ukraine’s assistance could therefore reduce the pressure on demand and free more up for........

© Foreign Policy