By: V4 Agency
Due to the European Union’s reluctance to take steps, Germany will start bilateral talks with Russia on the procurement of the Sputnik V vaccine, Germany’s federal health minister announced on Thursday.
After the health ministers of EU member states were told at their meeting on Wednesday that the European Commission is not planning to draw up contracts for the procurement of Russian vaccines, Germany will start bilateral negotiations with Russia as a result of the Commission’s reluctance, Jens Spahn told the regional Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) public radio’s news programme.
He emphasized that Germany will only purchase the Russian vaccine if it has been approved by the EU. The German government has long been saying that the procurement of Sputnik V should be referred to member states’ national competence, should the EU fail to take steps. As early as mid-March, Jens Spahn announced that supply contracts could soon be concluded.