Turkey and Ukraine sign military cooperation deals

Turkey and Ukraine signed military cooperation agreements on Friday, deepening their defence partnership which is seen as an effort to counterbalance Russia's dominance in the Black Sea region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan oversaw the signing of a "goodwill" agreement concerning the defence industry and a "military framework agreement," officials said, although details of the agreements were not immediately known.

Zelenskiy said the agreements pave the way for "new opportunities."

Last year, Ukraine reached an agreement for the purchase of Turkish-made drones.

The two countries are also reportedly engaged in discussions to develop an aircraft engine.

Zelenskiy also added that Turkey supports the "territorial integrity of Ukraine," adding that President Erdogan "would continue to make every effort to free political prisoners, Ukrainian Tatars, who are being illegally jailed in Russia."