Kremlin Welcomes US Decision to Share COVID-19 Vaccines With Other Countries

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Kremlin welcomes the decision of the United States to share COVID-19 vaccines with other countries, as such moves bring the immunisation of the world’s population closer, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

"It is very good. We always oppose the use of vaccines as a tool for political pressure. The more doses are provided (even if the vaccine is less effective than Sputnik V) - the better for all the people on Earth. It will be another small step that will bring us closer to immunising the world's population", Peskov told reporters.

At the same time, the spokesman said that there is still a risk that vaccines could be used as a pressure tool, noting that the Russian vaccine has been a target of unjustified attacks.

Russian vaccine "Sputnik V" in the city hospital "Leninskaya CRH" in the city of Leninsk.

© Sputnik / Kirill Braga

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"There are risks. You know that in its early day Sputnik [V] also faced unfair competition, media attacks. Now it is very difficult to undermine Sputnik [V], after most countries have agreed it is a very reliable, efficient vaccine", Peskov added.

The statement from the presidential spokesman addressed an announcement by the White House that said the US will be sharing its entire stock of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines with other countries, once the drug clears safety reviews.