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Kyiv, 19 September 2022

On 18 September, 400 000 doses of the Comirnaty mRNA vaccine against COVID-19 developed by Pfizer/BioNTech were delivered to Ukraine under the framework of the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Facility. The vaccines will be distributed throughout 23 regions in the country by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.

Together with our international partners, we continue to deliver vaccines against COVID-19 to Ukraine. With the approach of the autumn/winter period, it is especially important to protect yourself from COVID-19, because as the experience of past years shows, the incidence increases sharply at this time, said Dr Ihor Kuzin, Deputy Minister of Health and Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine.

Vaccination is an important priority during humanitarian emergencies, and one of UNICEF's key areas of work aimed at the protection and well-being of children and their parents. UNICEF will continue to help Ukraine provide access to immunization and adhere to a cold chain for vaccines, emphasized Mr Murat Sahin, United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) Representative in Ukraine.

Dr Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine, explained, WHO continues to support Ukraines health system through the delivery of vaccines via the COVAX Facility and has trained over 30 000 health workers on the safe and effective use of COVID-19 vaccines, including on the use of the Comirnaty Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

Dr Habicht added, WHO urges everybody, especially the elderly, people with chronic diseases and those belonging to at-risk groups, to get their primary vaccine series and boosters against COVID-19 and to protect themselves and others as we enter the autumn/winter period.

The Comirnaty vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech contains messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) molecules that encode the spike protein found on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. After the vaccine is administered, this mRNA enters the cells of the body and provides them with a kind of instruction on how to create this protein. The immune system recognizes that the protein does not belong to the person and produces antibodies against it. This is how the body learns to protect itself in the case of an encounter with a real SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The vaccine is approved for emergency use by WHO. In Ukraine, the Comirnaty vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech was registered for use on 22 February 2021.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, Ukraine has received COVID-19 vaccines for free through COVAX. COVAX is an international initiative that promotes access to effective and safe vaccines against COVID-19 for all countries. Deliveries on behalf of the initiative will continue to protect as many people as possible in Ukraine from the coronavirus disease.

All adults and children over the age of 12 can be vaccinated against COVID-19 in Ukraine. A booster dose can be taken by all people over the age of 18. The second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine is available for all people over 60 years old in Ukraine, as well as to those aged 1859 with underlying medical conditions that increase the risk of a severe course of COVID-19.

The European Union, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi), UNICEF, the United Kingdom, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and WHO all continue to support Ukraine on COVID-19 vaccination. Future deliveries will ensure that as many people as possible receive protection.

The Comirnaty vaccine delivery was made possible thanks to financial support from USAID.

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400 000 doses of Comirnaty vaccine delivered to Ukraine under COVAX - World Health Organization

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PARIS, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin's chief envoy on Ukraine told the Russian leader as the war began that he had struck a provisional deal with Kyiv that would satisfy Russia's demand that Ukraine stay out of NATO, but Putin rejected it and pressed ahead with his military campaign, according to three people close to the Russian leadership.

The Ukrainian-born envoy, Dmitry Kozak, told Putin that he believed the deal he had hammered out removed the need for Russia to pursue a large-scale occupation of Ukraine, according to these sources. Kozak's recommendation to Putin to adopt the deal is being reported by Reuters for the first time.

Putin had repeatedly asserted prior to the war that NATO and its military infrastructure were creeping closer to Russia's borders by accepting new members from eastern Europe, and that the alliance was now preparing to bring Ukraine into its orbit too. Putin publicly said that represented an existential threat to Russia, forcing him to react.

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But, despite earlier backing the negotiations, Putin made it clear when presented with Kozak's deal that the concessions negotiated by his aide did not go far enough and that he had expanded his objectives to include annexing swathes of Ukrainian territory, the sources said. The upshot: the deal was dropped.

Asked about Reuters findings, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "That has absolutely no relation to reality. No such thing ever happened. It is absolutely incorrect information."

Kozak did not respond to requests for comment sent via the Kremlin.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, said Russia had used the negotiations as a smokescreen to prepare for its invasion, but he did not respond to questions about the substance of the talks nor confirm that a preliminary deal was reached. "Today, we clearly understand that the Russian side has never been interested in a peaceful settlement," Podolyak said.

Two of the three sources said a push to get the deal finalized occurred immediately after Russia's Feb. 24 invasion. Within days, Kozak believed he had Ukraine's agreement to the main terms Russia had been seeking and recommended to Putin that he sign an agreement, the sources said.

"After Feb. 24, Kozak was given carte blanche: they gave him the green light; he got the deal. He brought it back and they told him to clear off. Everything was cancelled. Putin simply changed the plan as he went along," said one of the sources close to the Russian leadership.

The third source - who was told about the events by people who were briefed on the discussions between Kozak and Putin - differed on the timing, saying Kozak had proposed the deal to Putin, and had it rejected, just before the invasion. The sources all requested anonymity to share sensitive internal information.

Moscow's offensive in Ukraine is the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II. It prompted sweeping economic sanctions against Russia and military support for Ukraine from Washington and its Western allies.

Even if Putin had acquiesced to Kozak's plan, it remains uncertain if the war would have ended. Reuters was unable to verify independently that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy or senior officials in his government were committed to the deal.

Kozak, who is 63, has been a loyal lieutenant to Putin since working with him in the 1990s in the St. Petersburg mayor's office.

Kozak was well-placed to negotiate a peace deal because since 2020 Putin had tasked him with conducting talks with Ukrainian counterparts about the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, which has been controlled by Russian-backed separatists following an uprising in 2014. After leading the Russian delegation in talks with Ukrainian officials in Berlin on Feb. 10 brokered by France and Germany Kozak told a late-night news conference that the latest round of those negotiations had ended without a breakthrough.

Kozak also was one of those present when, three days before the invasion, Putin gathered his military and security chiefs and key aides in the Kremlin's Yekaterinsky hall for a meeting of Russia's Security Council.

State television cameras recorded part of the meeting, where Putin laid out plans to give formal recognition to separatist entities in eastern Ukraine.

Once the cameras were ushered out of the vast room with its neo-classical columns and domed ceiling, Kozak spoke out against Russia taking any steps to escalate the situation with Ukraine, said two of the three people close to the Russian leadership, as well as a third person who learned about what happened from people who took part in the meeting.

Another individual interviewed by Reuters, who helped in the post-invasion talks, said discussions fell apart in early March when Ukrainian officials understood Putin was committed to pressing ahead with the large-scale invasion.

Six months on from the start of the war, Kozak remains in his post as Kremlin deputy chief of staff. But he is no longer handling the Ukraine dossier, according to six of the sources who spoke to Reuters.

"From what I can see, Kozak is nowhere to be seen," said one of the six, a source close to the separatist leadership in eastern Ukraine.

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Editing by Daniel Flynn

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Exclusive: As war began, Putin rejected a Ukraine peace deal recommended by aide - Reuters

Barack Obama said Monday that he and his wife, Michelle Obama, were lucky enough to know Queen Elizabeth, whose state funeral took place the same day in London.

Back when we were just beginning to navigate life as President and First Lady, she welcomed us to the world stage with extraordinary generosity, the former president wrote on Twitter. Our thoughts are with the Royal Family and those mourning her passing.

Earlier this year, the BBC released a video clip of Obama sharing some of his favorite memories of the monarch, who he said reminded me very much of my grandmother. Obama included the video in his message on Monday.

He said she was very gracious and also had a no-nonsense, wry sense of humor. During their first visit together, Obama said the monarch could not have been more kind of thoughtful to me or Michelle.

The former president also recalled a sweet moment between the families, when the queen invited Michelle and the couples daughters, Sasha and Malia, to tea.

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She then offered the girls to drive in her golden carriage around the grounds of Buckingham Palace, he said. It was the sort of generosity and consideration that left a mark in my daughters lives thats still there.

Obama added that getting to know her was one of the great privileges of my years in office.

During a 2016 visit to London, the president told reporters that the queen is truly one of my favorite people.

The former president released a statement following the death of the queen on Sept. 8 at Balmoral in Scotland. The monarch was 96.

Michelle and I were lucky enough to come to know Her Majesty, and she meant a great deal to us, he said in the statement. Time and again, we were struck by her warmth, the way she put people at ease, and how she brought her considerable humor and charm to moments of great pomp and circumstance.

The Obamas did not attend Elizabeths funeral on Monday, nor did former President Donald Trump. President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, did attend the state funeral on Monday, as only current heads of state and their spouses were invited.

Instead, the politicians were invited along with George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter to attend a service of thanksgiving for the queen at the Washington National Cathedral on Sept. 21.

See more photos from Queen Elizabeths funeral below:

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The Princess of Wales follows the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard.

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King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince William, and Prince Harry follow the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II.

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People embrace during the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II

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King Charles III looks emotional at the state funeral and burial of Queen Elizabeth.

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Yeoman of the Guard at Westminster Abbey ahead of the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

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Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia arrive at Westminster Abbey in London.

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Guests arrive for the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey.

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Monaco's Prince Albert and his wife Charlene arrive at Westminster Abbey.

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Carole Middleton and Michael Middleton, parents of Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, arrive at Westminster Abbey.

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President Joe Biden arrives at Westminster Abbey.

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Coldstream Guards ahead of the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on Sep. 19.

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Invited guests arriving at the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

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A marching band performs ahead of the funeral service for Queen Elizabeth II.

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A well-wisher holds a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II as she waits along the Procession route in London.

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Media members are seen as the funeral procession arrives at Westminster Abbey in London on Sep. 19.

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Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern arrives.

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Members of the public attend along the Procession Route in London.

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French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron arrive at the state funeral.

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King Charles III and Princess Anne attend the state funeral for their mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

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British Prime Minister Liz Truss takes her seat for the funeral service of Queen Elizabeth II.

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Former Prime Ministers Gordon Brown and Tony Blair arrive at Westminster Abbey.

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King Charles III arrives with Princess Anne, Prince William, and Prince Harry for the funeral.

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Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrives at Westminster Abbey for the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

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Prince George, Camilla, Queen Consort and the Princess of Wales arrive at Westminster Abbey.

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Prince William and Prince Harry walked side-by-side at Queen Elizabeth's funeral procession to Westminster Abbey, alongside their cousin, Peter Phillips.

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The Duchess of Sussex sits in a car as she attends Queen Elizabeth state funeral and burial.

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Princess Charlotte of Wales arrives at Westminster Abbey.

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The Duke of Sussex stands next to King Charles III, Princess Anne and Prince William as they salute.

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The Duchess of Sussex during the state funeral.

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Gentlemen at Arms, the Queen's bodyguard takes part in the state funeral service.

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The Princess of Wales, the Duchess of Sussex, Prince George and Princess Charlotte arrive at the funeral.

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The Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte and Prince George arrive.

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Prince Harry, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Princess Beatrice, during the state funeral.

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The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II with the Imperial State Crown resting on top is carried into Westminster Abbey.

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The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II during the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey.

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The Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince George of Wales, Peter Phillips, and Zara and Mike Tindall attend the state funeral service.

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The Wales family and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex follow the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as it is carried out of Westminster Abbey.

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Members of the royal family walk behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as they leave the state funeral.

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A Bearer Party of The Queen's Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, carries the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II.

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The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is carried out of the Westminster Abbey followed by King Charles III.

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The Duchess of Sussex and Camilla, Queen Consort during the state funeral.

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The royals during the state funeral.

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The Prince of Wales follows the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in a Royal Standard and adorned with the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign's orb and sceptre.

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Barack Obama Recalls Queen Elizabeth's 'Extraordinary Generosity' In Tribute - HuffPost

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The House of Representatives passed legislation on Monday that restricts the federal government from forcing reporters to reveal their sources and other protected information, and imposes similar restrictions on coercing technology companies into helping the government spy on the press.

The Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying Act, or the PRESS Act, was introduced by Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and other House Democrats. But the bill acknowledges that government spying has taken place under both Republican and Democratic administrations, and it was easily approved by both parties in a voice vote late Monday night.

"Over the past several decades, Presidential administrations have attempted to crack down on classified leaks to media outlets," according to a report on the bill produced by the House Judiciary Committee. "These efforts have been conducted by both Republican and Democratic Presidents and have included efforts to obtain journalists' records, illustrating the need for stronger federal protections for journalists and their sources."

JUDGE ANDREW NAPOLITANO: UNLAWFUL FEDERAL SPYING ON JOURNALISTS IN PORTLAND SHOULD COST OFFICIALS THEIR JOBS

As examples, the reported noted that then-FBI Director Robert Mueller apologized to the New York Times and Washington Post for the "improper acquisition" of their reporters telephone records in 2004, under the George W. Bush administration. The records were acquired as part of an investigation into terrorism threats.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., listens as the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol holds its first public hearing to reveal the findings of a year-long investigation, on Capitol Hill, Thursday, June 9, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

It also noted that the Obama administrations Justice Department admitted to secretly collecting the records of 21 Associated Press phone lines used by dozens of reporters and editors as part of an effort to investigate the leak of U.S. efforts to foil a terrorist threat.

During a brief floor debate on the bill, Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis., said the Obama administration had a much more aggressive stance toward the press than most.

"Administrations of both parties have unjustly targeted journalists, but none more so in recent years than the Obama administration," he said. "The Obama administrations control on the flow of information has been described as the most aggressive since the Nixon administration."

FILE: U.S. President Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with former President Barack Obama, during the 58th presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Friday, Jan. 20, 2017. Photographer: Pat Benic/Pool via Bloomberg

In 2020, under the Trump administration, the Justice Department seized phone records from three Washington Post reporters who wrote about Russias alleged role in the 2016 election, a move that came to light in 2021.

FEDERAL COURT RULES BIG TECH HAS NO FREEWHEELING FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO CENSOR

A battle over the phone records of four New York Times reporters that started under the Trump administration continued into the Biden administration. But in July 2021, Bidens Justice Department formally adopted a policy that "restricts the use of compulsory process to obtain information from, or records of, members of the news media acting within the scope of newsgathering activities."

Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. (iStock)

The bill passed by the House would codify guidelines for the government. Specifically, the bill establishes federal privilege that protects reporters from being compelled by the federal government to reveal confidential information and creates that same protection for technology companies that have access to that information.

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The bill does create exemptions to that privilege. For example, it allows the government to argue that the information is needed to counter an act of terrorism or other threat of imminent violence, and a court in the jurisdiction where the information is sought can authorize the collection of that information. But the bill says the court must give the reporter or technology company a chance to respond before it approves the governments request.

Supporters of the bill say its needed because protections for reporters exist only at the state level and vary from state to state.

Pete Kasperowicz is a politics editor at Fox News Digital. He can be reached at Peter.Kasperowicz@Fox.com and his Twitter handle is @PeteKDCNews.

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House votes to boost press protections, cites spying by Bush, Obama, Trump - Fox News

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Even before the formal arrangements for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth were announced, President Biden had confirmed his plans to attend the official state service. But while the President is in London on Monday, he and the First Lady will reportedly be the only American delegates at the ceremony due to space constraints for the historic event.

Just because they're no longer in the White House doesn't mean the former presidents are being left out entirely, though. In fact, all five living former presidentsDonald Trump, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carterhave been invited to "a Service of Thanksgiving for the Life of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II," in collaboration with the British Embassy at the Washington National Cathedral. The event, which is set to feature an honor guard by the Queens Colour Squadron, a unit of the Royal Air Force, will be held on Wednesday, September 21, according to Sky News.

The cathedral has a long and prominent history, having played host to the funerals of Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, and George HW Bush, as well as memorial services for the likes of Winston Churchill, the Queen's beloved first Prime Minister. Last week, after the death of Queen Elizabeth was announced, the cathedral's bell tolled 96 times in honor of Her Majesty's 96 years of life.

It has not yet been announced whether any or all of the former presidents will attend the upcoming service, but we will update this post as more information becomes available.

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Donald Trump and Barack Obama Are Among the Former Presidents Invited to Queen Elizabeth's Memorial - Yahoo Life