Two days ago, Argentine President Alberto Fernández spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for a broad-ranging discussion on topics of mutual interest, key among which was the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine. Argentina has already acquired almost 1 million doses of Sputnik V, has begun its national vaccination campaign, and is scheduled to receive much larger quantities weekly for some months. At the same time, Fernández has been in contact with Chinese President Xi Jinping to pin down a contract for the first 1 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine, with a goal of eventually purchasing 30 million doses. For the past year, Argentina has maintained an effective “air bridge” with China, receiving a total of 42 planeloads of medical supplies needed to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Fernández’s discussion with Putin covered a range of topics, including Russian investments in infrastructure and aerospace as well as an invitation to Fernández to visit Russia, which he readily accepted. Fernández thanked Putin effusively for providing his nation with Sputnik V and said he hoped to receive as much as possible as it has proven to be so effective, Página 12 reported him as saying. The report published by the British medical journal The Lancet confirming Sputnik V’s safety and effectiveness has received wide coverage in Argentina, much to the chagrin of the neoliberal political opposition which has attacked both the Russian and Chinese vaccines.
