MANAMA: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday offered a drone deal to Bahrain as he met with the king of the Gulf island state that has been attacked by Iran.
Zelensky has toured the Gulf since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war against Iran, signing defence deals as Kyiv leverages its expertise in fighting Russia and downing its drones, which are based on Iranian technology.
“Ukraine is ready to share this security expertise with Bahrain and help strengthen the protection of life,” Zelensky said in a statement published online after meeting King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
“I proposed signing a Drone Deal and scaling up cooperation with Bahrain, and we agreed that our teams will work out the details,” he added.
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Ukraine has signed a string of defence agreements in the region since the Middle East war broke out in late February, including with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Ukrainian military experts dispatched by Kyiv have also downed Iranian drones in several Middle Eastern countries.
The Gulf nations are being attacked with the same Iranian-designed Shahed drones that Russia fires on Ukraine.
“Our country is facing similar terrorist strikes almost every day, and our people have relevant experience in full-scale defense,” Zelensky said in his statement.
He said the pair also discussed opening embassies in each others’ countries.
US-led talks on ending the Russia-Ukraine war have been sidelined by the Iran conflict.
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