Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that "we must act together, joining forces" in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences.

 

The issue of accessibility and fair distribution of test kits, vaccines, medicines and personal protective equipment has not been dealt with, Putin said while addressing the Informal Economic Leaders' Retreat of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) via video link.

 

"In light of the persisting high risks, we believe that our priority is to increase the scale of vaccination. We are ready for close collaboration with our APEC partners in important areas like the organization of large-scale vaccination," he said.

 

In the face of the pandemic, Putin considered it important to expand cooperation in Asia-Pacific in digitalization, including using modern information technology in healthcare, education and social welfare.

 

He also underlined the significance of creating a transparent, predictable and non-discriminatory environment for trade and investment across the Asia-Pacific region.