President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pitched a drone deal to Bahrain during a visit to the country on Tuesday, advertising Ukraine's battle-tested security expertise.
Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani meets Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at Bahrain International Airport, Muharraq, Bahrain, May 4, 2026. Bahrain News Agency
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pitched a drone deal to Bahrain during a visit to the country on Tuesday, advertising Ukraine's battle-tested security expertise.
Since the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran erupted on February 28, Ukraine has been offering its drones and know-how to several Middle Eastern countries suffering from Iran's Shahed drone attacks.
Kyiv has gained unique experience in shooting down Iranian drones and similar Russian-made models as Russia has launched hundreds of thousands of them since its full-blown invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Zelenskiy said he had discussed with King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa Iran's strikes against Bahrain and the Strait of Hormuz.
"Our country is facing similar terrorist strikes almost every day, and our people have relevant experience in full-scale defence," Zelenskiy said on X. "Ukraine is ready to share this security expertise with Bahrain and help strengthen the protection of life."
The two countries have agreed to work out the details of a potential deal, the Ukrainian leader added.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are among countries that have already signed defence cooperation deals with Ukraine as Kyiv seeks to bolster its diplomatic position in the Middle East, where historically Russia has had strong ties.
Reporting by Yuliia Dysa
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday negotiating a deal with Iran could "take a few days," quashing hopes for an imminent end to the conflict a day after U.S. forces conducted what Washington called defensive strikes in southern Iran.
Iran's top negotiator and its foreign minister were in Doha for talks with Qatar's prime minister on a potential deal with the U.S. to end the three-month-old war, an official briefed on the visit said on Monday, after Washington and Tehran played down hopes for an imminent breakthrough.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday that conclusions have been reached on many topics discussed in a potential 14-point memorandum of understanding, but this does not mean a deal to end the Middle East war is imminent.
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