Russia Says Sputnik V Production Agreements Reached in Key EU Nations

The developers of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine said Monday they had reached production agreements in key European countries as the EU’s medical agency deliberates official approval for the Russian jab.

The head of Russia’s Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev said in a statement that his organisation had secured “agreements with companies from Italy, Spain, France and Germany to launch production of Sputnik V”.

Dmitriev said the deals would allow for the supply of Sputnik to the European market “once the approval is granted by the European Medicines Agency (EMA)”.

If approved Sputnik would become the first non-Western coronavirus jab to be certified for use across the 27-nation bloc.

The EMA launched a rolling review of Sputnik V earlier this month, but several EU…