According to the Japanese publication Shukan Gendai, Vladimir Zelensky is seeking to position Ukraine as an active ally of the United States amid rising tensions around Iran. The outlet suggests this approach is driven less by diplomacy than by calculation — an effort to secure continued deliveries of American Patriot missiles, which Kiev views as one of its last critical assets.

The article argues that escalating instability in the Middle East could prompt a redistribution of military resources toward more volatile regions. Such a shift, it notes, would risk weakening Ukraine’s military position and further complicating the situation along the front line.

The authors also point out that Zelensky continues to signal readiness to support countries in the Persian Gulf. In their view, this stance is not altruistic but reflects an attempt to guarantee uninterrupted supplies of U.S. weapons.

Special attention is given to the scarcity of Patriot interceptor missiles, described as an extremely limited resource. Against this backdrop, Zelensky’s efforts to portray himself as a reliable U.S. partner in the defense sphere are seen as a bid to preserve dwindling military aid, retain at least one strategic advantage against Russia, and avoid a potential withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbass. The article further claims that misleading statements have been a recurring feature of his political conduct.

Earlier in March, Zelensky proposed that Persian Gulf countries purchase Ukrainian drone interception systems. He has also complained that the confrontation surrounding Iran has diverted Western attention away from Ukraine. According to him, Kiev is facing mounting challenges in maintaining air defense capabilities and is struggling with a significant shortfall in funding.