Ukraine has closed its borders to foreign citizens for two weeks in order to counter the spread of the coronavirus epidemic.
The Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council announced this in a statement, the CFTS portal reports.
“In 48 hours, our country will close its border to foreign citizens. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will warn all institutions, all countries that the country's border will be closed to foreign citizens for two weeks. The National Security and Defense Council will make the next decision after two weeks, depending on how the situation develops," the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council’s Secretary Oleksii Danylov said on March 13.
“As for citizens of Ukraine, we have a big request: limit foreign trips and tourist trips abroad as much as possible. All Ukrainian citizens currently located abroad will have the opportunity to return to our country. However, those coming from those countries in which coronavirus is currently raging will undergo certain observational procedures," he added.
In addition, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council said that all border crossings should be provided with rapid test kits for coronavirus within a week. "This applies to all the border crossings that will remain in open in our country at that time, and all medical facilities will definitely have these test kits," said Danylov.
Minister of Infrastructure Vladyslav Kryklyi later clarified that the temporary entry ban will not apply to foreign citizens who are temporary or permanent residents of Ukraine.
In addition, the Ministry of Infrastructure has stated that these restrictions will not apply to international cargo transportation. According to the ministry, "international cargo transportation is not stopping."
