Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky engaged in a discussion about drones during an impromptu meeting at the funeral service for U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham.
An Israeli official revealed that the conversation centered on the shared challenge both nations face with drone technology, which has become a dominant feature on modern battlefields. Specifically, both leaders expressed concern over first-person view (FPV) drones, which are difficult to counter due to their guidance systems that bypass traditional radar jamming.
Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Olha Stephanishyna confirmed that the discussion included a general assessment of the military situation in Ukraine and the effectiveness of new technologies. A separate Ukrainian official described the encounter as unplanned, with Netanyahu approaching Zelensky for what was initially small talk.
Ukraine has extensive experience with FPV drones, both in combating Russian use and in developing their own. Israel, while less experienced in countering them, is observing an increasing presence of these drones on the battlefield. Officials noted that Netanyahu was impressed by Ukraine's strategic successes in the ongoing conflict.
The conversation occurred shortly after Hezbollah deployed an FPV drone to strike an Israeli armored bulldozer in southern Lebanon, highlighting the immediate threat posed by such unmanned aerial vehicles.
While Ukraine had previously offered assistance to regional countries facing Iranian drones, Israel had not accepted that help at the time. The Israeli official did not comment on the possibility of future security partnerships between Israel and Ukraine on drone technology.