Covid: EU divides over delivery of Sputnik V vaccine

If Europe doesn't order Sputnik V, Berlin has warned it will.

AP - Pavel Golovkin

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

In the midst of wave 3, tension is mounting in the West and the EU is starting to divide over the delivery of Russian and Chinese vaccines.

For European Commissioner Thierry Breton "

Europe absolutely does not need Sputnik V

".

Not everyone hears it that way: if Hungary is today the only EU country to use it, the Slovak Prime Minister has ordered (and had to leave his post on Tuesday because of the controversy generated by this choice).

Now it is Austria which announces that it is discussing with Russia the purchase in April of one million doses of the vaccine not yet approved by the European Medicines Agency.

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Like many European politicians, he has long been under pressure from the opposition and the public for a vaccination campaign deemed too slow.

Until now, the Austrian chancellor had remained in talks for the opening of a production plant of Sputnik V, either on the same line as Italy or Germany, engaged for a laboratory of production of the Russian vaccine. on their soil.

Sebastian Kurz had also raised the tone with the 27, criticizing the European system of joint purchase and distribution of doses.

He is now the third EU head of government to break free from this system when France says and repeats its mistrust of what it considers to be a policy of influence.

Angela Merkel, she is impatient.

If the vaccine is approved by the European Medical Authority, the Chancellor will not hesitate: if Europe does not order Sputnik V, she has warned that Berlin will.

Vladimir Putin told him last week that he had received a first injection, but without saying with which vaccine.

The Italian region of Campania for its part signed an agreement for the purchase of this vaccine, but conditioned it to the green light from the EMA.

6.8 million Russians received at least one of the two necessary injections, or 4.65% of the population.

Only 30% of Russians today want to be vaccinated.

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To read also: Covid-19: several European countries will produce the Russian vaccine Sputnik V

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  • Coronavirus

  • Austria

  • Vaccines