The solidarity of the European Union would be impacted if countries in the bloc chose Chinese or Russian Covid-19 vaccines which have not yet been approved, Reuters quoted French European Affairs minister Clement Beaune as saying on Friday.

“If they went to choose the Chinese and/or Russian vaccine, I think it would be quite serious,” Beaune told RTL radio.

“It would pose a problem in terms of our solidarity, and it also poses a health risk problem, because the Russian vaccine is not yet authorised in Europe. A demand for approval has been made but it is not yet authorised in Europe, and no demand has even been made yet for the Chinese vaccine,” added Beaune.

Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine has already been approved or is being assessed for approval in three states in the EU bloc’s eastern wing — Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic — as delays hamper vaccination programmes across the EU.