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In a statement following the signing at the presidential palace, the two leaders said both countries agreed to boost investment and expand their cooperation on technology, education, agriculture, culture, and sports.

Zelenskiy said Ukraine was going to open a special investment office in Jerusalem and Netanyahu said Israel was going to do the same in Kiev.

Speaking next to Zelenskiy, Netanyahu praised the flourishing relations and increasing technological ties between the two nations.

"I think the future belongs to those who innovate; Israel is the quintessential innovation nation," Netanyahu said.

"Ukraine has enormous talents and capacities. We have discovered this because Israeli companies are here, we engage with tens of thousands of talented Ukrainians in mathematics and computer engineering, in every conceivable field of modern technology. We see their talent, we both see the opportunity, we want to seize the future."

Netanyahu is the first Israeli prime minister to visit Ukraine in 20 years. Netanyahu is also the first foreign leader to visit Zelenskiy since the latter was elected president.

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The latest survey by Reiting research body showed the former television comedian's equally new party, Servant of the People, at 41.1%, up slightly from early June.

After taking office last month, Zelenskiy dismissed the parliament still dominated by loyalists of his defeated predecessor. Servant of the People has no lawmakers in the outgoing legislature and is campaigning on a pro-European and anti-corruption ticket.

The Reiting poll put Opposition Platform in second place at 9% and European Solidarity – the party of Zelenskiy's predecessor Petro Poroshenko – third at 6.8%.

A good showing next month would cement Zelenskiy's meteoric rise and upending of Ukrainian politics.

He grew to national fame playing the TV comedy role of a schoolteacher who unexpectedly becomes president after a pupil films him making a foul-mouthed tirade against corrupt politicians and posts the video online. His campaign exploited the parallels with that fictional narrative, portraying him as an everyman who would stand up to a crooked political class.

After taking the oath of office on May 20, Zelenskiy pledged to "protect the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine" evoking the defensive prowess of Israel.

"We must become Icelanders in soccer, Israelis in defending our land, Japanese in technology," he was quoted by the BBC as saying.

Ukraine's most pressing issue is the conflict with its neighbor Russia, which annexed its Crimea region in 2014. Zelenskiy has said his first task is to achieve a ceasefire.

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The poll said Zelenskiy had won 73% of the vote and that Poroshenko had won just 25% of the vote.

Ukrainians voted on Sunday in a presidential runoff as the nation's incumbent leader struggled to fend off a strong challenge by the comedian, who denounced corruption and played the role of president in a TV sitcom.

Zelenskiy, who is of Jewish descent, has said that religion is a personal matter and plays no part in his campaign. If elected, he would become the country's first Jewish president.

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