New interactive map helps Ukrainians travel during coronavirus pandemic

Ukraine is gradually reopening after a three-month lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

On June 15, the country opened its borders and relaunched international air travel. Some countries have also opened their borders and are ready to welcome visitors from Ukraine.

But that doesn’t mean traveling will be easy, as restrictions continue in many countries. To help Ukrainian citizens get up-to-date information on countries that are open and safe for travel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched an interactive map with all the needed information for planning a trip abroad amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

Read more: Ukraine to reopen its borders three months after shutdown

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba announced the map during an online briefing on June 22. The map is available at https://tripadvisor.mfa.gov.ua/. 

According to Kuleba, the Embassy of Great Britain and the United Nations Development Program, or UNPD, assisted in developing the map. 

The map allows its users to see which countries have opened their borders to Ukrainians and which allow transit through their territories. 

Countries marked green have opened their borders for Ukrainians. Yellow countries only allow Ukrainians with residence permits to enter. And countries marked orange have closed borders and will not allow Ukrainians to enter. 

The same applies to transit: green countries allow Ukrainians to transit through their territory, yellow only allows those with a residence permit, and pink countries ban transit outright. To see detailed information about any country, one needs just to click on it on the map, then read the text that appears automatically. 

“We will maintain the map as long as restrictions caused by the pandemic remain in the world,” Kuleba said during the briefing. “Everyone who plans a trip can use it and find information,” he added.  

Apart from information on borders and transit, the map allows Ukrainians to see whether they are required to self-isolate after arrival, who can enter the county and what documents are needed, when was the information updated, and more. 

Access to the map is free. It is available in the Ukrainian language only. 

“I hope the map will be useful,” Kuleba said.