Ukraine: Coronavirus

(asked on 8th March 2021) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the deployment by the Russian Federation of covid-19 vaccines in the occupied areas of Ukraine.


Answered by
Wendy Morton Portrait
Wendy Morton
This question was answered on 12th March 2021

We are deeply concerned by reports that Russia is distributing COVID-19 vaccines in illegally annexed Crimea and non-government controlled areas of eastern Ukraine without the permission of the Ukrainian authorities. The UK steadfastly supports Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ukraine's democratically elected government should be responsible for developing and implementing a vaccination programme for everyone living in Ukraine. We oppose any action by Russia which violates this principle.

The UK continues to provide support to Ukraine in our shared struggle against COVID-19. We are working with civil society organisations to enhance oversight of COVID-19 procurement, ensuring that public funds are used to maximum effect to secure PPE, medicines, and now vaccines. We are also providing funding to the World Health Organisation to train the mobile teams who will be administering vaccines in Ukraine.

In support of global equitable access to vaccines, the UK has committed £548 million to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment, making us one of its largest bilateral donors. Our commitment will contribute to the supply of at least 1.3 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines in 2021 for up to 92 low and lower middle-income countries, including Ukraine.

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