Ukrainian President told PM Modi he has taken Covishield and it has kept him protected

Glasgow/New Delhi, Nov 2 (UNI) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the COP26 in Glasgow, conveyed that he had received vaccines from India earlier this year and had himself taken the Covishield vaccine made by Serum Institute of India, which has kept him protected from Covid.
This was revealed by Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla during a media briefing later.
The Ukrainian President said his country had received vaccines from India earlier this year, and he had taken the Covishield manufactured by SII, “and how it has kept him protected through the Covid crisis and is protecting him even now”, the FS said.
The Ukrainian President was appreciative of India’s vaccine production and proposed collaboration and joint manufacture and production of a wide range of medicine and healthcare products.
PM Modi in his remarks also said that 18,000 Indian students are pursuing medicine in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader said that he had invited the PM to visit his country, which could not happen earlier due to Covid. PM Modi said he would be happy to visit Ukraine as soon as possible, Shringla said.
PM Modi in a tweet said: “Had a wonderful meeting with President @ZelenskyyUa. Our talks will give new vigour to the friendship between India and Ukraine.”
In a tweet, the Prime Minister’s Office said:
“PM @narendramodi had a wonderful meeting with the President of Ukraine @ZelenskyyUa. They reviewed the full range of bilateral relations agreed to strengthen cooperation in commerce, culture and other spheres.”
In a statement, the Ministry of Externa Affairs said that both leaders took stock of the state of bilateral relations and exchanged views on developments in the region.
“They expressed satisfaction on the cooperation during the pandemic times including mutual recognition of COVID vaccination certificates by both countries.
“Prime Minister Modi thanked President Zelenskyy for his humanitarian gesture of supply of oxygen concentrators to India during the second phase of COVID pandemic earlier this year.
“The two leaders positively assessed the strong people to people connect between the two countries, especially the large number of Indian students studying in various Universities of Ukraine,” it said.
The two leaders reaffirmed their readiness to work together for further strengthening of bilateral relations, it said.