Ukraine talking with Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain on security cooperation

Ukraine is in talks with Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain to cooperate in the security sector and share its drone defence expertise and technology, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Zelensky visited several Middle Eastern countries last month to offer Ukraine's technology and expertise on how to counter Iranian drone attacks. Security cooperation agreements with Saudi Arabia and Qatar were signed, and a deal with UAE was announced.

Ukraine also sent more than 200 experts to the Middle East, and they have successfully downed Iran's long-range Shahed drones, Zelensky said.

"We used our own interceptors to shoot down Iranian 'Shaheds.' We demonstrated that achieving such results requires systemic solutions, particularly in the electronic warfare component," Zelensky told reporters in remarks released by his office on Friday.

"We've reached agreements on 10-year deals with three countries. Security talks are currently underway with Oman, and we are also in discussions with Kuwait and Bahrain."

Zelensky said that deals on oil and diesel supplies to Ukraine were part of the broader cooperation agreements that were discussed.