Russia has repeatedly delayed inspections by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) necessary for the certification of its Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine in the European Union, the EU's ambassador to Moscow was quoted as saying.

“This is a technical rather than a political process,” EU ambassador Markus Ederer told Russian media outlet RosBusinessConsulting in an interview.

“When Russian officials talk about the process being delayed and politicised by the European side, I sometimes think they are largely referring to themselves because it is them who makes this about politics.”