Russian Diplomat Says Sputnik V Vaccine Steadily Becoming Popular in Europe

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th February, 2021) Russia's COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V is gaining more and more recognition in European countries amid efforts to depoliticize vaccine issues, permanent representative to the Council of Europe Ivan Soltanovsky said on Friday.

"We see many positive reviews from many European countries lately ... Our vaccine is being bought by more and more countries in the world � not only in Latin America and CIS countries, but European countries, too. I am very optimistic. We are trying to depoliticize the work of the Council of Europe and make it more focused on everyday issues. And vaccination, especially with the cheap Russian vaccine, could contribute to it," Soltanovsky told an online event.

According to the diplomat, his counterparts hold no formal discussions with him on the vaccine, but do speak out on it in informal talks.

"Informally many colleagues acknowledge its effectiveness and congratulate us. Unfortunately, at one time a special committee on health care was dismantled in the Council of Europe. We came up with a proposal to restore it and a range of delegations supported us so that we could have more detailed focused work on these issues ... We would seek more structured work here. Secretary General Marija Pejcinovic Buric is also seeking more centralized work on this issue within the Council of Europe," he continued.

There are also discussions about the future of movement in Europe after pandemic restrictions are over, but COVID-19 passports have not been on agenda.

"Covid passports have not been discussed, but the attitude to it differs. Vaccination must not become yet another separation line in Europe; there are already plenty of them. Many countries share our stance on it," Soltanovsky stated.

Recently, more European countries have started showing interest in the Russian vaccine. Earlier on Friday, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis left for Hungary to study its experience in the use of the Russian vaccine. He is also planning to visit Serbia, which also administers Sputnik V.

After peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet published an interim analysis from phase 3 trial of the Russian vaccine, showing its 91.6 percent efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19, Western European countries, including Germany and France, have also recognized that Sputnik V is showing good results.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund, which promotes Sputnik V in international market, expects that the EU's regulator may approve the vaccine in early March.