Maasikas says pandemic has brought EU and Ukraine together

He stated this during the All-Ukrainian Forum “Coronavirus: Challenges and Responses” on February 8, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"The pandemic has brought the European Union and Ukraine together, solidarity is a bilateral process,” Maasikas said.

He reminded that the European Union had allocated EUR 190 million to Ukraine as part of a joint initiative to the Eastern Partnership countries to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

At the same time, according to Maasikas, the level of vaccination in Ukraine has been very low in recent years, and this is also an indicator of a lack of trust in the government, so in order to vaccinate enough people, the Ukrainian authorities will have to take needed measures.

He added that the country's leaders have to combine "ambitious reforms to ensure transparent procurement procedures and build institutions that can engage in a large-scale vaccination."

He also welcomed the COVAX decision to supply first batches of vaccine to Ukrainian health workers as early as in mid-February.

As reported, as part of the global COVAX initiative, Ukraine expects to receive the first batch of 117,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine in February.

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