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WHO likely to approve Russian Sputnik V jab in few months, Kremlin believes

And then it will also be possible to develop the talks with Europe in this direction, Dmitry Peskov said
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov Sergei Bobylev/TASS
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov
© Sergei Bobylev/TASS

MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/. The World Health Organization (WHO) will likely approve the Russian Sputnik V jab in a few months, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Sunday.

"I am totally convinced that in a few months, <…> the WHO is likely to recognize Sputnik V, and then it will also be possible to develop [the talks] with Europe in this direction," the Kremlin spokesman noted.

According to Peskov, it can be argued for a long time why the WHO has not yet recognized the Russian vaccine and "what is behind this: some kind of bias against us or purely bureaucratic problems."

Overall, as the Kremlin spokesman said, the COVID-19 still remains a threat, although two years have passed since the onset of the pandemic. This does not lessen the talents and efforts of doctors and virologists, Peskov pointed out. "However, there are still a plethora of questions," he said.

The Russian Sputnik V jab, registered in Russia on August 11, 2020, became the first officially approved COVID-19 vaccine all over the world. Currently, it is recognized by over 70 countries. According to the Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, the WHO’s approval of Sputnik V will accelerate the recognition of Russian vaccination passports by Europe.