Russia and China using vaccine as propaganda: France

Russia and China are doing their home-grown COVID-19 vaccines as a "means of propaganda", France's Foreign Minister said on Friday.

Speaking to FranceInfo radio, Jean-Yves Le Drian rebuffed Russian claims that the European Union is "clearly biased" against the Sputnik V vaccine, stressing that it must first "be validated by the European Union, by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), because in Europe we only take vaccines that are credible and safe. Otherwise, it would not be serious." Also read : Italy to be the first EU country to produce Russian Sputnik V vaccine

"Regarding Sputnik, we told the Russian officials, come and test it here, but they only submitted the form a few days ago," he said.

European authorities have been held domestically for the slow pace of treatment which lags behind countries including the US, the UK and Israel.

The EMA has so far signed four vaccines for use across the EU: Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca/OxfordUniversity and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson). Sputnik V applied for emergency use across the bloc earlier this month, and mid-April will release a decision.

The Russian-made vaccine has been delivered to 55 countries worldwide, including EU part state Hungary.

Also read: Dominica: Melissa Skerrit receives the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine

"In my mind, the way it is managed, it is more a method of propaganda and aggressive diplomacy, in a way, than a system of solidarity and health aid," Le Drian renewed.