Zelenskyy Holds Drone Deal Talks with Bahrain’s King

(MENAFN) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held high-stakes talks with Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on Tuesday, covering a sweeping agenda that ranged from a prospective drone agreement to agricultural cooperation — as the Gulf region grapples with intensifying instability.

Zelenskyy took to Telegram to characterize his meeting with the Bahraini monarch in the capital Manama as "good and productive," signaling a constructive diplomatic exchange between the two nations.

"During our meeting today, we discussed the security situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region, as well as key challenges and security opportunities, Iran's strikes against Bahrain and other countries, and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz," he said.

Central to the talks was Zelenskyy's push to formalize a drone deal with Manama — a proposal the Ukrainian leader said was met with a favorable response from King Hamad. Both sides agreed that technical teams from each country would convene to hammer out the specifics of the arrangement.

Zelenskyy also flagged the expansion of bilateral economic ties as a priority, with particular focus on the agricultural sector.

"Special attention was paid to the development of bilateral economic relations and partnership in the field of agricultural production," he said.

Beyond defense and trade, the two leaders addressed Ukraine's ongoing peace efforts with Russia, as well as the prospect of mutually establishing embassies — a move that would mark a significant step forward in formalizing diplomatic relations between Kyiv and Manama.

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