The Middle East News Agency (MENA) and the Russian Sputnik news agency signed an agreement for stepping up cooperation in the coming period.

MENA Editor-in-Chief and Board Chairman Alaa Heidar said the deal will help exchange Arabic and English news items between MENA and Sputnik.

He voiced hope that the agreement would open the door for more cooperation between the two news agencies in the coming period.

A Sputnik official said the agreement will serve the Arabic website of the Russian news agency.

The deal will help Sputnik to implement joint editorial projects with MENA, the official added.