Putin and Merkel discuss joint production of coronavirus vaccine

On Tuesday, January 5, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Kremlin reported on its website.

They discussed cooperation in tackling the coronavirus pandemic, with the emphasis on opportunities for cooperation in joint vaccine production, and agreed on further contacts between the two countries’ healthcare ministries and other relevant departments in this regard.

The Kremlin’s press service added that during their conversation, Putin and Merkel “also touched upon” the war in Eastern Ukraine, particularly with regard to implementing measures outlined in the Minsk Protocol and agreements reached at the Normandy Format summits.

• In December 2020, the Russian Health Ministry announced that Germany was prepared to cooperate with Russia on the production of Russian vaccines against the coronavirus, though the department didn’t specify which drugs were under discussion.
• Russia has two registered vaccines against COVID-19: the Gamaleya Research Institute’s “Sputnik V” and the Vector Research Center’s “EpiVacCorona.”