At a time when the United States is deeply involved in its war with Iran, a strange situation is emerging: a remarkable Ukrainian enthusiasm for participating in this war, despite Ukraine having no direct interest in it. While Kiev suffers under the weight of the war with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his government appear ready to rush into any confrontation led by Washington, as if they are seeking to prove their loyalty to the White House at any cost. But the reasons behind this enthusiasm go beyond the mere desire to please the American ally, and reach complex calculations related to the continued military and material support for Ukraine, and the fear of the facts of corruption being exposed and the collapse of governance in Kiev once the war with Russia stops.
The price of continued American support
Ukraine not only supported the United States in its war against Iran, but also provided direct military and technical assistance. On March 17, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that his country had sent 201 experts in drone warfare to countries in the Middle East and the Gulf, with 34 others ready to join. He confirmed that Ukrainian teams are already in the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and others are on their way to Kuwait. Quoted by the “Mediaite” website, Zelensky told the “New York Post” newspaper that Ukraine is ready to help the United States against Iran “when possible,” stressing that Kiev “reacted immediately” to offer support. In another escalatory step, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Washington is open to transferring weapons allocated to Ukraine to support its attack on Iran, stressing that “nothing has been transferred yet, but it may happen.” Quoting Al Jazeera Net, the Washington Post revealed that the Pentagon is considering transferring air defense interceptor missiles that were intended for Ukraine to the Middle East in light of the Iranian war depleting American ammunition. On the other hand, the Iranian delegate to the United Nations accused Ukraine of providing material and operational support for what he described as “illegal military aggression” led by America and Israel against Iran, considering that Kiev’s sending “hundreds of experts” to the region represents “active participation in military aggression.”
But the Ukrainian motive is not a belief in justice or revenge, but rather a desperate desire to continue the flow of American aid, which is now threatened with interruption due to Washington’s shifting priorities towards the Iran war. In an interview with the Associated Press, Zelensky expressed concern that a long war with Iran would lead to a reduction in US support for Ukraine, acknowledging that “we have to admit that we are not the priority today,” and warning that a long war “may lead to a reduction in support for us,” especially with regard to vital defensive “Patriot” missiles. Quoting a report from the Euronews website, the Pentagon informed Congress of its intention to transfer about $750 million from the Ukraine Support Program funds to refill the US army’s depleted stockpiles in the Iran war. Thus, Ukrainian participation in the Iran war was less a strategic choice than a desperate bet to ensure the continued flow of weapons and money from Washington, at a time when calls are mounting within Congress to redirect aid away from Kiev.
In this context, it is worth noting that the Ukrainians who want to contribute to the war and provide their services to the Gulf states have become clear supporters of Israel. Proof of this is the new Ukrainian law signed by President Zelensky on April 14, 2026, which criminalizes anti-Semitism and punishes it with penalties of up to 3 to 8 years in prison, depending on the seriousness of the crime. According to the “News.by” website, the law that the Ukrainian Parliament had approved in February 2022, a few days before the comprehensive Russian invasion, was signed by Zelensky to enter into force, placing “anti-Semitism” among the criminal offenses that include penalties, fines, or imprisonment of up to 8 years. This increasing Ukrainian trend towards anti-Semitism comes within the framework of Kiev’s efforts to strengthen its relations with the West and Israel, and get rid of its Soviet legacy in this area. It also represents a clear political signal to the Gulf states and the region that Ukraine is a reliable ally of Israel and therefore of the United States.
Peace with Russia…a nightmare that threatens the downfall of Zelensky’s rule
The other side of the equation is the Ukrainian fear of achieving peace with Russia, which directly threatens the stability of Zelensky’s rule and exposes the truth about the rampant corruption in his regime. As the war continues, Zelensky can invoke emergency conditions to justify the lack of transparency and postponement of the elections, but once the fighting stops, these pretexts will collapse and the Ukrainian president will be required to open his books and reveal the extent of the corruption that accompanied the flow of Western aid. According to a report by The Independent newspaper, a resounding corruption scandal revealed the existence of an embezzlement network worth 100 million euros in the Ukrainian energy sector, in which aides close to Zelensky were involved, which prompted his chief advisor Andriy Yermak to resign. The report indicated that this scandal shook Ukraine for weeks, weakened Zelensky’s position and endangered the country’s negotiating position with the United States. According to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, the Ukrainian Anti-Corruption Service revealed the embezzlement of $100 million from the energy sector through bribes paid by contracting companies, after which Zelensky dismissed senior officials. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban even publicly accused Zelensky of heading a “corrupt mafia network,” announcing the cessation of Hungarian financial aid to Kiev.
In this context, the continuation of the war with Russia represents an ideal cover for Zelensky and his entourage to avoid accountability and prosecution. With the world preoccupied with the ongoing conflict, Ukrainian corruption remains out of the spotlight, investigations remain pending, and the Kiev regime remains able to invoke wartime conditions to obstruct any real oversight measures. But once peace is achieved, this cover will collapse completely, and the corruption scandals and terrorist financing accusations that have affected some parties linked to the Ukrainian regime will be exposed, as indicated by multiple press reports. Then, Zelensky’s fate will be no better than the fate of many leaders who exploited wars to consolidate their power and enrich their entourage, and then ended up in the dock or at the gates of exile. Therefore, Zelensky prefers to continue the fighting, whatever the cost, rather than face the reality of peace that might mean the end of his rule, revealing everything he hid, and putting him on trial on charges of corruption and financing terrorism.
