Zelensky wants Ukraine to have own high-end lab for vaccine research

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky advocates the creation of a laboratory for the development of vaccines.

Speaking at a regular meeting at the President's Office, the president stressed Ukraine urgently needs to prepare a state-of-the-art laboratory for the development of vaccines and medicines, according to the presidential press service.

Read alsoUkrainian COVID-19 vaccination certificate to be compatible with European one – PMTo this end, UAH 100 million (US$3.5 million) was allocated from the state budget this year. The Health Ministry is looking for ways to address the issue.

"We need to convene our wise heads and provide them with working conditions at the level of western experts. Ukraine needs such a laboratory not only during this pandemic. In general, this may become a solution to the challenges of the future," Zelensky said.

Vaccines in Ukraine: What is known

• On October 20, 2020, Zelensky was offered the results of preclinical studies of a Ukrainian candidate for a vaccine for COVID-19.
• On October 26, 2020, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said the Ukrainian vaccine for COVID-19 would be developed in about a year if all studies were successful.