Ambassador Hassen presents credentials to Ukraine President

Ambassador Rizvi Hassen with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky

Ambassador of Sri Lanka accredited to Ukraine M. Rizvi Hassen presented his Letter of Credence to President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky on 9 December, in a ceremony held at the Mariinskij Palace, Kyiv. 

During the event, the Ambassador conveyed the greetings from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. In his speech, President Zelensky recalled the recent meeting he had with President Rajapaksa on the sidelines of the COP26 Climate Summit. President Zelensky also highlighted the importance of signing the pending agreements between Sri Lanka and Ukraine (i.e. Agreement on Investment Promotion and Protection, Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income, and Agreement on the Establishment of Inter-Governmental Joint Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation).

The Ambassador also had constructive meetings with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Senik Dmytro, State Migration Service of Ukraine Chairperson Nataliia Naumenko, Committee on Foreign Policy and Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Chairperson Oleksandr Merezhko, and officials of the State Border Guard Service, on methods and means to enhance bilateral cooperation between Sri Lanka and Ukraine. 

The Ambassador also met Skyup Airlines Chief Executive Officer Dmytro Seroukhov and discussed incoming Skyup charter flight operations, which will commence on 27 December, from Ukraine to Sri Lanka. Skyup charter flights will operate twice a week to Sri Lanka.

Furthermore, the Ambassador had an interactive session with travel agents and outbound tour operators dealing with Sri Lanka, and other Asian destinations in Kyiv and briefed them on the recently relaxed travel restrictions in Sri Lanka and the facilities in place for incoming tourists.