- Title: Hungary in 'advanced talks' with Russia to produce Sputnik-V vaccines
- Date: 24th August 2021
- Summary: BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (AUGUST 24, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF FOREIGN MINISTRY RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV ARRIVING, GREETED BY HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER PETER SZIJJARTO JOURNALIST SHOOTING MEETING LAVROV AND SZIJJARTO SHAKING HANDS AND WALKING AWAY LAVROV AND SZIJJARTO ENTERING PLENARY TALKS VARIOUS OF PLENARY TALKS JOURNALISTS SEATED, SZIJJARTO SPEAKING AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian) HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, PETER SZIJJARTO, SAYING: "At present, we have advanced talks about manufacturing Sputnik based on licence in the national vaccine factory being built in Debrecen. Based on the state of the current talks the technology transfer could be completed by the end of 2021, and thus from the end of 2022 the production of Sputnik-V based in licence will be possible." JOURNALISTS COVERING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian) HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, PETER SZIJJARTO, SAYING: "We hope that after our long-term gas supply agreement expires this end we will be able to make a new long-term gas agreement with Russia, with Gazprom. The talks about this are in their finish, with the political support of the Russian government next week in Saint Petersburg I will make talks about the final conditions. I hope we can sign the new 15-year supply deal this autumn with good conditions." JOURNALISTS COVERING NEWS CONFERENCE SZIJJARTO SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian) HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, PETER SZIJJARTO, SAYING: "Hungary is a member of the European Union and will remain so. We have interest in having a strong European Union: strong Hungary, strong EU. But it is also clear that we have debates regarding how the EU can be strong." JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE LAVROV SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV SAYING: "(Hungary) has successfully used Russian vaccine Sputnik-V to inoculate the population and we are now discussing practical aspects of starting production of the vaccine in Hungary. We both agree that issues surrounding the production and use of vaccines should not be politicized as this would be counterproductive in achieving the main goal - global victory over COVID-19." JOURNALISTS COVERING NEWS CONFERENCE LAVROV AND SZIJJARTO LEAVING, SPEAKING VIEW OF DANUBE RIVER
- Embargoed: 7th September 2021 15:59
- Keywords: COVID-19 vaccines Gazprom Hungarian-russian diplomatic relations Hungary Russia Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Russian natural gas Sputnik-V COVID-19 vaccines diplomacy
- Location: BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
- City: BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
- Country: Hungary
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Europe,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001ERN4M61
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Hungary and Russia are in advanced talks on licensing production of the Sputnik-V COVID-19 vaccine in Hungary, which could start from the end of 2022, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told a news conference Tuesday (August 24) after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Budapest.
Szijjarto said the production under licence could start at the end of 2022 in the national vaccine factory of Debrecen.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the two parts are now discussing practical aspects of producing vaccines in Hungary.
Hungary has widely used the Russian Sputnik vaccine during the pandemic even though it has not been approved by the European Medicines Agency.
Hungary also wants to sign a new 15-year natural gas supply deal with Gazprom this year, and talks about this area in the finishing stages, Szijjarto said.
Since Prime Minister Viktor Orban took power in 2010, Hungary has promoted Moscow's interests within the European Union, repeatedly calling for the ending of economic sanctions imposed after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014.
In 2014, Budapest also signed a deal for two new reactors at its Paks nuclear plant with Russia, to be built by state atomic energy firm Rosatom. The project has been seriously delayed.
Hungary will remain a member of the European Union, Szijjarto said. He added that European Union can be strong if it is built on strong member states.
(Production Krisztina Fenyo, Hedy Beloucif, Anna Dabrowska) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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