Ukraine's Zelenskiy to visit Turkey, sign military agreement
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky gestures during a meeting with Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson inside number 10 Downing Street, in central London on Oct. 8, 2020. (AFP Photo)


Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is expected to visit Turkey Thursday and sign a military cooperation agreement.

According to a statement by the Ukrainian government Wednesday, Zelenskiy will sign a bilateral military cooperation agreement during his visit on Oct. 15-17.

The statement added that the agreement to be signed would reflect a guarantee for security and peace in the Black Sea region.

Defense relations between the two countries have developed rapidly, with military-technical cooperation between Ukraine and Turkey's defense industries carrying various mutual benefits.

In early July, Ukraine’s National Defense Minister Andriy Taran voiced their interest in Turkish-made drones, at a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar in Kyiv.

The Eastern European country purchased the Bayraktar Tactical Block 2 (TB2) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Turkey last year, as part of an agreement signed between the two countries allowing for the purchase of a total of 12 UAVs.

The agreement was signed between the Ukrspetsproject Company, which is part of Ukraine’s Ukrboronprom and Turkey’s Baykar Makina, the country's leading drone developer.

Along with the UAVs, Turkey will also provide three ground control station systems and various equipment.