From Derailed Talks To Demand For Russian Oil, Here’s How Iran War Is Affecting Ukraine Conflict

Last Updated:March 04, 2026, 22:22 IST

From stalled peace talks to rising oil prices and a fresh dispute over the Druzhba pipeline, the Iran war is beginning to shape the trajectory of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The war in West Asia triggered by the US-Israeli strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is beginning to ripple far beyond the region.

The conflict has already disrupted energy markets, triggered retaliatory attacks across the Gulf and drawn in Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. But the consequences are also being felt thousands of kilometres away in Ukraine, which is now in the fourth year of Russia’s invasion.

Here is how the Iran war is beginning to influence the Ukraine conflict.

How Has The Iran War Affected Peace Talks On Ukraine?

The latest diplomatic push to end the war in Ukraine appears to have been disrupted by the escalating conflict in West Asia.

US President Donald Trump has been pushing Russia and Ukraine to agree on a settlement, seeking to position himself as a mediator in the bloodiest war in Europe since World War II.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier this week that a third round of negotiations involving Ukrainian, US and Russian officials had tentatively been planned for Thursday and Friday in Abu Dhabi.

However, the talks now appear uncertain after Iran launched retaliatory strikes across the Gulf, with the United Arab Emirates among the countries targeted.

The Ukrainian negotiating team told AFP there is currently no concrete date for the next round of talks.

Zelenskyy has said Ukraine would be open to holding negotiations in alternative venues such as Turkey or Switzerland, both of which have hosted previous meetings aimed at ending the war.

Could Rising Oil Prices Help Russia?

Energy markets are another area where the Iran conflict could indirectly influence the war in Ukraine.

Kyiv has repeatedly targeted Russian oil and gas facilities with long-range strikes in an attempt to reduce the revenues Moscow uses to fund its invasion. Western sanctions have also sought to curb Russia’s energy exports.

However, the conflict in West Asia — including attacks on energy infrastructure in the Gulf — has pushed global oil prices higher.

That could benefit Moscow by increasing its oil revenues and strengthening the financial resources available for its war effort, even as its economy faces growing pressure from sanctions and falling energy income.

Why Is The Druzhba Pipeline Becoming A Flashpoint?

The Iran war has also complicated an ongoing dispute between Ukraine and the European Union over the Druzhba pipeline, one of the world’s longest oil pipelines.

The pipeline carries Russian crude to several European countries including Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Built during the Soviet era, its name means “friendship" in Russian.

According to a Financial Times report, the European Commission and several pro-Ukraine EU governments have asked Kyiv to allow inspectors to visit a damaged section of the pipeline to verify whether Ukraine is attempting to restore oil flows.

Hungary and Slovakia have accused Ukraine of exaggerating the damage and deliberately shutting off the pipeline, while Ukrainian officials say the infrastructure suffered significant destruction and requires time to repair.

The dispute has already spilled into European politics. Hungary’s government led by Viktor Orban has delayed approval of an EU loan package for Ukraine until the pipeline resumes operations.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa have reportedly asked Kyiv to allow an inspection mission to assess the damage independently. Ukraine has so far rejected the request.

The war with Iran could also affect Ukraine’s military supplies, particularly air defence ammunition provided by Western allies.

Zelenskyy has acknowledged that a prolonged conflict in West Asia may affect the availability of some US-supplied air defence missiles used to protect Ukraine’s critical infrastructure.

Russia has relied heavily on Iranian-designed Shahed drones during its invasion — the same type of drones that Tehran has used in attacks across the Gulf.

Ukraine says it has developed relatively inexpensive interceptor drones capable of destroying incoming attack drones mid-air.

Zelenskyy this week proposed a potential weapons swap with US allies in West Asia.

“Let’s speak about weapons that we’re short of: PAC-3 missiles — if they give them to us, we will give them interceptors," he said.

The idea would allow West Asian countries facing Iranian drone threats to receive Ukrainian interception technology while Ukraine secures additional air defence missiles.

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