Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a speech at the Davos Agenda 2021 on Wednesday via video link, highlighting the importance of cooperation and mutual assistance to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Putin said that the global COVID-19 pandemic could drag on unless millions of people receive protection from the virus.

Putin also urged the international community to coordinate efforts to deal with a shortage of COVID-19 vaccines in some countries, including African countries.

Putin stressed that the international community should create a better environment for scientists to conduct in-depth research on novel coronavirus strains.

Live: Russian President speaks at virtual Davos 2021