Asia shows interest in Ukraine's maritime defence expertise, Zelenskiy says

KYIV, April 7 (Reuters) - The Ukrainian military is participating in consultations on the Strait of Hormuz, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday, adding that Ukraine's maritime defence expertise is also of interest in Asia.

Kyiv sent several hundred specialists to the Middle East in the wake of the war in Iran, aiming to share its battle-tested approach in downing Iranian drones, which Russia used in the early years of its full-scale invasion.

"Ukrainian military personnel are taking part in consultations on the further operation of the Strait of Hormuz. Safe navigation is a global value; we know this from our experience defending the Black Sea," Zelenskiy said in his evening address.

Throughout the war, Ukraine foiled Russian attempts to fully block its access to the Black Sea, critical for the country's economy and military.

Having no powerful fleet of its own but relying on innovations, such as naval drones, it forced Russia's Black Sea fleet out of its home base in Moscow-occupied Crimea.

Zelenskiy added that interest in Ukraine's military technology - at times more advanced and way cheaper than traditional weapons - now goes beyond Europe.

"Our diplomats have received a corresponding request from Asian countries, and I have instructed them to work through all this promptly," he added.

Zelenskiy did not mention any country specifically.

(Reporting by Yuliia Dysa)