Russia's Putin tells APEC leaders barriers to vaccine production must be removed

Global barriers to vaccine production and deliveries need to be removed, Russian President Vladimir Putin told other world leaders during an informal virtual meeting of the Asia-Pacific trade group APEC on Friday.

Global barriers to vaccine production and deliveries need to be removed, Russian President Vladimir Putin told other world leaders during an informal virtual meeting of the Asia-Pacific trade group APEC on Friday. Putin said Russia had actively encouraged other countries to produce Russian vaccines like Sputnik V and had transferred the technology to enable them to do so. But he said more needed to be done to remove barriers that slowed the process.

"The (global) problem with the availability and equitable distribution of tests, vaccines, medicines and protective equipment has not been solved," Putin said. "We consider it important to work further on creating new vaccine production facilities in the Asia-Pacific region by removing administrative and other barriers which hamper their production and delivery."

He added that Russia had overcome the consequences of the pandemic and that its economy has largely recovered. Putin was speaking at an extraordinary meeting held by New Zealand, the revolving Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation host, ahead of a formal gathering in November, the first time such an additional meeting has been held.

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