Europe Not Approving Sputnik V Vaccine is 'Mistake', Argentinian President Says

BUENOS AIRES (Sputnik) - Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez has said that the Russian-made vaccine against COVID-19 Sputnik V not having been approved yet by a number of European countries and the World Health Organisation (WHO) is a "mistake".

"I think that it is Europe's mistake [not to approve Sputnik V], and I think that it is dictated by geopolitical considerations because we have an agency for control and approval of medicines and vaccines, which is one of the most qualified in the world...I know that our body is very demanding, and they approved it [the vaccine], so I have no explanations why it takes so long in Europe", Fernandez said in an interview with the Russian broadcaster RT.

The politician also said that he told the presidents of European countries and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus that the Russian vaccine is effective.

Since 4 March 2021, Sputnik V has been undergoing evaluation with the European Medicines Agency. The vaccine has so far been approved in 71 countries worldwide with an overall population exceeding 4 billion people. According to the vaccine's developers, Sputnik V's effectiveness rate is 97.6% based on analysis of data from 3.8 million vaccinated Russians.