Cologne (dpa) – Germany is seeking talks with Russia about possible deliveries of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, Health Minister Jens Spahn told public broadcaster WDR on Friday.
Since the European Commission has decided not to sign any contracts for the vaccine on behalf of the bloc, Germany “will then talk to Russia bilaterally,” Spahn said.
The Russian state direct investment fund RDIF, which markets the vaccine abroad, confirmed talks with the German government about a preliminary contract for the purchase of the vaccine.
Details were initially not given.
The fund recently wrote on Twitter that it would be able to supply Germany with more than 20 million vaccine doses in the third quarter, which starts in July, adding that “timing is of the essence.”
Spahn emphasized that approval by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) must first be obtained.
Some of Germany’s 16 federal states have already started going it alone. Bavaria signed a preliminary contract for 2.5 million doses of Sputnik on Wednesday, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern followed suit on Thursday with an option for 1 million doses.
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