Ukraine needs more air defenses to protect its grain export routes as well as regions bordering Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday, as he addressed an international summit on food security in Kyiv, Paralel.Az reports citing Reuters.

"There is a deficit of air defense - that is no secret," Zelensky told the Grain from Ukraine summit, which was attended by senior officials from European countries, including Swiss President Alain Berset and Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte.

Zelensky said Ukraine would be supplied by its foreign partners with vessels to accompany convoys of cargo ships from Ukraine's ports to guarantee their security.

"I have agreements with several countries about the powerful accompaniment of convoys by Ukrainians, but using (foreign) equipment," he said.