Zelenskyy meets Reza Pahlavi in Munich as Ukraine backs Iranian people, condemns Tehran-Moscow ties

Ukrainian officials have reaffirmed their support for the Iranian people following a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in the German city of Munich, underscoring shared concerns about authoritarian regimes, regional security threats, and the wider geopolitical implications of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The talks focused on the political situation in Iran, the needs of the Iranian people, and the broader implications of cooperation between Tehran and Moscow.

According to a statement released after the meeting, Kyiv emphasized solidarity with Iranian citizens advocating democratic change and greater freedoms.

"I met with exiled Crown Prince of Iran @PahlaviReza in Munich. Ukraine supports the Iranian people as they are fighting for their future; we also express our sympathy to all the victims of the Iranian regime," the statement read.

During the discussion, the two sides examined areas where the Iranian people require international backing, including the importance of coordinated global pressure on Tehran.

Why did Ukraine condemn Russia-Iran military cooperation and ‘shahed’ drone supplies?

"During our conversation, we focused on the situation in Iran and the areas where the Iranian people need support. We discussed the importance of strengthening sanctions against the Iranian regime and any other dictatorial regimes," the statement continued.

A central theme of the meeting was the growing military cooperation between Russia and Iran, with Kyiv repeatedly accusing Tehran of supplying unmanned aerial vehicles known as shaheds to Moscow for use in attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure.

"We condemned the cooperation between Russia and Iran, in particular the supply of 'shaheds' by the Iranian regime to Russia and the granting of licenses for their production. Such a partnership poses a real threat not only to Ukraine but to the entire region," the statement said.

Ukrainian authorities maintain that Iran’s involvement in supporting Russia’s military campaign extends the conflict’s impact beyond Eastern Europe and raises broader security concerns, reinforcing calls for closer coordination among democratic nations.

"I thank the Crown Prince of Iran for supporting Ukraine's territorial integrity. It is vital to make every effort to protect human lives. Ukraine is ready to help on its part," the statement added.

Pahlavi, who has lived in exile since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, has long been an outspoken critic of Iran’s current government and a supporter of democratic movements inside the country.

The conference itself was dominated by discussions on Russia’s war against Ukraine, now entering its fifth year.

What did Friedrich Merz and Emmanuel Macron say about ending Russia’s war?

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told the Munich Security Council that the conflict would “only end when Russia is at least economically, potentially militarily, exhausted,” and described the gathering as a seismograph for the state of US-European relations.

Merz added that the war “had forced Europe to return from a vacation from world history”.

French President Emmanuel Macron said any peace settlement must protect Ukraine, preserve European security, and disincentivize Russia from attempting another invasion, while not providing the rest of the world with a “calamitous example to follow”.

He called it a “huge strategic mistake” to urge Ukraine to accept it was defeated.

Several European leaders were scheduled to meet Zelenskyy during the conference for further talks on the conflict, with the French presidency stating that Europe must be involved in any negotiations.

“I want to be very clear: you can negotiate without the Europeans, if you prefer, but it will not bring a peace at the table,” Macron said.

Why was Marco Rubio absent from the Ukraine talks at the Munich conference?

A US official noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was not attending those talks due to a packed schedule but was engaging on Russia-Ukraine in multiple meetings.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga also held discussions with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, whose country is a close partner of Moscow.

Beijing indicated it was “willing to provide Ukraine with new humanitarian aid,” according to a Chinese foreign ministry readout.

Diplomatic negotiations on Ukraine are set to take place in Geneva, with a US delegation including envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner expected to participate in trilateral talks with representatives from Russia and Ukraine.

Speaking at the conference, Zelenskyy said, “If president Trump … pushes Putin [into a] ceasefire [that will last for] two, three months, we will do elections.”

He also said that US president Donald Trump wanted to agree on a peace deal “all at once,” because he “like things in one big package,” like he did with his “one, big, beautiful bill,” while stressing that the sequence of agreements remained important.

“We made a lot of compromises. Putin and his friends, they are not in prison. This is the biggest compromise that the world made already.” He added that Ukraine “can’t forget” how many people were killed during the war but said Kyiv was ready to end the conflict at any time.

Why is Britain sending £540m in weapons to Ukraine through a NATO funding scheme?

Britain announced it would send another £540m worth of weapons to Ukraine, including £150m for US made interceptors through a NATO-run funding scheme for the first time.

The remaining £390m will fund the supply of 1,000 Lightweight Multirole Missiles manufactured in Belfast to strengthen Ukraine’s air defences, which are struggling against frequent Russian attacks.

The commitment comes ahead of a meeting of the 50 country Ukraine Contact Group, which coordinates international weapons supplies to Kyiv, immediately after the NATO defence ministers summit.

The scheme is part of NATO’s Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List, devised last year as a mechanism for European countries to buy US weapons for Ukraine after Washington said it would no longer donate them.

Meanwhile, a Ukrainian missile attack in the Russian city of Belgorod killed two people and injured five, according to regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, who said the victims were members of crews restoring damaged heating and electricity networks.

He added in a video posted on Telegram that restoration work would resume on Saturday as it was too dangerous for crews to operate at night.

(With inputs from ANI)