Skip to main content

Zelenskiy courts Bahrain with drone proposal

1 min Mena Today

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

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

Related

Strait of Hormuz

Draft Iranian bill targets US, Israeli shipping in Hormuz

An Iranian parliamentary committee is reviewing a preliminary bill that would bar U.S., Israeli and other "hostile" vessels from transiting the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported, citing a lawmaker.

Iran

Trump's Iran trap: A war with no exit

With President Donald Trump’s war against Iran now in its sixth month, this week's flurry of threats and diplomacy has underscored the ever-tighter bind he finds himself in as he tries to extricate the U.S. from an unpopular conflict he originally claimed would last just weeks.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.

  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.