By Kevin Akor
KYIV, Ukraine (chatnewstv.com) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday it was “fair to give the Iranian people a chance to rid themselves of a terrorist regime,” aligning Kyiv with U.S. and Israeli assertions that Iran has fueled regional and global instability, including through weapons supplied to Russia for use in Ukraine.
In an address hours after reports that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes, Zelenskyy accused Tehran of enabling Moscow’s war by providing thousands of Shahed-type attack drones and related technology. He said Russia had launched more than 57,000 such drones against Ukrainian cities, infrastructure and civilians since the start of the full-scale invasion.
“Therefore, it is fair to give the Iranian people a chance to rid themselves of a terrorist regime … and to guarantee security for all nations that have suffered from terror originating in Iran,” Zelenskyy said.
He urged efforts to prevent wider war in the Middle East even as he praised what he described as decisive U.S. action. “Whenever there is American resolve, global criminals weaken,” he said, adding that Russia must also recognize that “every act of evil, terror and aggression … ultimately meets a just response.”
Zelenskyy said Ukraine was preparing for further diplomatic contacts with the United States and Russia in a trilateral format, with timing dependent on security conditions. He reiterated Kyiv’s demand that Moscow end its aggression and agree to security guarantees ensuring “true peace” for Ukraine and Europe.
The Ukrainian leader also met Saturday in Kyiv with senior officials from the Netherlands, including the deputy prime minister and foreign minister, thanking The Hague for sustained military and air-defense support. He cited Dutch contributions through the PURL initiative and bilateral channels and said cooperation would continue with European and other partners “to enhance protection for life.”
Ukraine has sought to highlight Iran’s role in supplying drones and other weapons to Russia, arguing that Tehran’s actions have global consequences beyond the Middle East. Zelenskyy said Ukraine stood ready to work with partners so that “security and justice increase, and terrorist regimes decrease.”
