Relations are not in good shape, between Russia and the European Union, around the vaccine against the Sputnik V coronavirus. On Monday, Vladimir Poutine denounced the “strange” statements by a senior European official and former French minister, Thierry Breton.
The day before, the latter seemed to reject the interest of the Russian solution to fight against Covid-19.
“We don't force anyone to do anything […] but we wonder about the interests defended by these people, those of pharmaceutical companies or those of European citizens?
Said the Russian leader during a televised meeting.
Sunday evening, on TF1, Thierry Breton who is in charge of the industrial aspects of the manufacture of vaccines against Covid-19 in the EU, assured that Europeans will "absolutely not need Sputnik V", given that d other products are approved.
"Sputnik V is a complementary vaccine, we have 350 million doses," said the European Commissioner for the Internal Market, further assuring that "the Russians are having a hard time making it and [that] it will undoubtedly be necessary to help ”.
"If we have to provide them with one or two factories to manufacture it why not, but for the moment priority to the Europeans […] we will see that in the second half of the year," he said.
The production of #vaccines is accelerating: 14 million doses delivered in January, 28m in February and 60m in March.
Double, 120 million, in May.
The objective is clear: to be able to achieve the #immunity of our population from mid-July.
We have the means.
pic.twitter.com/UzVF82PEtL
- Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) March 21, 2021
According to AFP, Russia is effectively seeking to increase production agreements to supply abroad rather than export, reserving its reduced capacities to supply the Russian population.
Moscow has notably signed, in recent days, three agreements for the production of 652 million doses in India.
EU 'conflicting' position
After the remarks of Thierry Breton, the producers of the Russian vaccine against the coronavirus accused, this Monday, the European Commissioner of having a "biased" approach.
That same day, the Russian head of state regretted, with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, "the conflicting position" of the EU.
"Vladimir Putin considered that the state of Russia-EU ties was not satisfactory due to the non-constructive and sometimes conflicting position of the European partners", the Kremlin said in a statement, referring not only to the vaccine, but also to other tense files.
Vladimir Putin also said he would be vaccinated on Tuesday, without specifying whether he would use the Russian product.
At a time when an application for approval is being examined by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), a group of experts is expected in Russia on April 10 to study the clinical trials carried out for Sputnik V, the minister said. Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko.
