Zelenskiy heads to France as Iran war distracts from Ukraine

PARIS, March 13 - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will seek reassurances of support from one of Kyiv’s key Western allies on Friday, arriving in Paris at a time when the war in the Middle East is diverting attention from Ukraine’s fight against Russia. Read more at straitstimes.com.

PARIS, March 13 - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will seek reassurances of support from one of Kyiv’s key Western allies on Friday, arriving in Paris at a time when the war in the Middle East is diverting attention from Ukraine’s fight against Russia.

The widening conflict has raised questions about the supply of weapons – notably air defences – from Western partners to Ukraine, as Gulf Arab states draw down their own air defence stocks to repel daily attacks by Iran.

Zelenskiy has warned Ukraine's acute shortage of air defence missiles will be exacerbated. This week he said that Gulf states had used more PAC‑3 air defence missiles against Iranian strikes in a few days than Kyiv had received from Washington over four years.

Zelenskiy did not specify the source of his figures.

The war has also sent the price of oil, an important revenue source for Russia, surging while Kyiv struggles on financially.

The European Union has yet to agree on a proposed 90 billion euro loan that would, in part, provide Kyiv with funding to purchase weapons. Ukraine hopes the loan will be in place by mid‑April.