EU Foreign Policy Chief Warns of Shortfall in Drone-Destroying Supplies

JAKARTA - The head of the European Union's Foreign Policy Kaja Kallas on Thursday said the bloc was trying to help Gulf countries fend off Iranian drone attacks, but warned that supplies of related equipment may be limited.

Speaking ahead of a video call between EU foreign ministers and Gulf states, Kallas warned that production of drone interceptors would struggle to meet high demand both in Ukraine and in the Middle East.

"Everyone needs air defense. So there is really a problem with production," he told reporters in Brussels, adding that Europe needs to "accelerate" production, as reported by Al Arabiya from AFP (5/3).

"So, of course we are investigating this, but I am afraid that its capabilities are limited," he said.

Ukraine, which has built up a proud expertise in this sector during more than four years of war with Russia, could help by sharing its knowledge, Kallas said.

Earlier this week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered US allies in the Middle East an exchange of some of their air defense missiles in exchange for drone interceptors.

Russia has used Iranian-designed Shahed drones during its invasion of Ukraine, and Kyiv has developed a range of cheap and effective interceptors - aerial vehicles designed to take down incoming attack drones - which it says are the world's most advanced.

At the same time, Ukraine is struggling with a shortage of PAC-3 air defense missiles - expensive munitions fired at incoming Russian missiles to defend Ukrainian cities and vital infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Italy, a member of the European Union, said on Thursday it would send air defense assistance to Gulf countries targeted by Iranian attacks in response to the US-Israeli attacks.