Swiss drugmaker Novartis resumes Ukraine business

The company’s logo is seen at the new cell and gene therapy factory of Swiss drugmaker Novartis in Stein, Switzerland, November 28, 2019. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo

ZURICH, June 2 (Reuters) – Novartis (NOVN.S) is resuming business in Ukraine after reviewing how safe it was to operate in the country that Russia invaded in February, the Swiss drugmaker said.

“After studying current safety protocols in the country, and on advice which we will regularly review, we have begun to resume business operations remotely to help the war-torn country restore some basic critical business processes,” Novartis said on its website in a post dated June 1.

“The safety and security of our people remains our number one objective, and we will constantly review the situation and our business operations in Ukraine.”

Novartis said it condemned the war in Ukraine and has been providing humanitarian support, financial donations and medicine to people there. Russia describes its invasion as a “special military operation” to disarm and “de-Nazify” its neighbour.

Reporting by Paul Arnold and Michael Shields; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.