Germany plans to speak to Russia about acquiring doses of its Covid-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, if it is approved by EU regulators. In an interview with German public radio WDR5 on Thursday, Health Minister Jens Spahn, said he has notified the EU that Berlin will “bilaterally talk to Russia,“ after the bloc made it clear it will not sign a contract to procure Sputnik shots.

Possibly talking down the significance of the talks, Spahn said that “first of all we will talk about when what quantities could even be delivered … in the 4th quarter or even 2022 we could possibly still have a need for Sputnik V, but in order to actually make a difference in our current situation the delivery would have to come in the next 2-5 months. Otherwise, we will already have enough vaccine anyway.” Spahn said.

The EU's sluggish vaccine rollout has handed Russia the opportunity for a PR coup, which Moscow has grasped with both hands, much to the annoyance of EU allies.

The German state of Bavaria said on Wednesday it would independently buy 2.5 million doses of Sputnik V, as soon as it is approved by the European Union’s drug regulator.