The Picot Agreement, also known as the Sykes-Picot Agreement, is a World War I-era agreement that was signed in 1916 between the United Kingdom and France. The agreement aimed to divide the Middle East into spheres of influence for the two countries in the event of the defeat of the Ottoman Empire. The agreement was named after the two diplomats who negotiated it, Sir Mark Sykes of the UK and François Georges-Picot of France.

At the time of the agreement, the Ottoman Empire had control over most of the Middle East, including modern-day Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan. The UK and France sought to divide the region between them, with the UK gaining control over the area of modern-day Iraq and Kuwait, while France would control the area of modern-day Syria and Lebanon.

The agreement was intended to be secret, but it was leaked to the Russian government, which was then an ally of both the UK and France. The Russian government was angered by the agreement, as it contradicted earlier agreements between the three countries, which had promised Russia control over Constantinople and the Bosphorus Strait.

The Picot Agreement was one of several agreements made during World War I that aimed to re-draw the map of Europe and the Middle East after the war. However, the agreements were controversial and often contradictory, leading to ongoing conflicts and tensions in the region.

After the war, the Ottoman Empire was dismantled, and the Middle East was divided into a series of mandates under the control of various European powers, including the UK and France. This led to ongoing conflicts and tensions in the region, including the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Syrian civil war.

While the Picot Agreement is often criticized for its role in the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, it is also seen as an important historical marker in the region`s history. The agreement is a reminder of the complexities of colonialism and imperialism, and the ongoing legacy of these forces in the region today.