Whether Ukraine could really open Hormuz, how long it can keep its renewed technological edge over a newly funded Russia, and how much its Gulf deals will in fact deliver are all open questions. But the US loss of leverage in Kyiv is clear and should raise questions in the White House. For example, when planning for the attack on Iran, why was so little learned from watching Ukraine deal with Iranian Shaheds? Why has the White House not recognized that Kyiv is no longer just a military burden, but also a resource — even for the mighty US military? Why continue to relieve the pressure on President Vladimir Putin, even when he’s helping Iran to kill US servicemen and Zelenskiy is offering to help protect them?

 

Ukraine Is Having a Surprisingly Good Iran War

April 1, 2026 at 12:00 AM EDT

By Marc Champion

Marc Champion is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Europe, Russia and the Middle East. He was previously Istanbul bureau chief for the Wall Street Journal.