MOSCOW, April 15. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin, just like other G20 leaders, is pinning hopes on the work of the World Health Organization (WHO) in overcoming the coronavirus pandemic, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, commenting on remarks by US President Donald Trump about suspending funding to the organization.
"The heads of the G20, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, are pinning their hopes on the WHO in analyzing the experience of this pandemic and support the WHO’s work. We proceed precisely from that stance," he said.
Peskov referred to the final statement approved by the G20 leaders at an emergency summit in late March, which says that the G20, together with the WHO, is determined to do its utmost to overcome the pandemic. "It says that the G20 presidents fully endorse the WHO’s efforts and are committed to further strengthening its powers to coordinate the international fight against the pandemic," he stressed.
The Kremlin spokesman noted, in particular, that the World Health Organization had been tasked with preparing an analytical report on the existing flaws in the healthcare systems of the G20 countries that impeded the fight against the coronavirus.
US President Donald Trump earlier said that Washington was suspending funding to the World Health Organization, accusing it of "severely mismanaging" the coronavirus pandemic.