The Motivations For Russia To Conduct International Cooperation On Vaccines Amid The COVID-19 Pandemic

As an unprecedented public health crisis faced by all mankind,the COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the medical systems,economic systems and social order of countries around the world,including Russia.However,unlike the “vaccine nationalism” approach such as hoarding vaccines taken by European and American countries at first,Russia has taken advantage of the first-mover advantage of being the first to register COVID-19 vaccines in the CIS region,Eastern Europe,Latin America,the Middle East and Africa,becoming a key supplier of the “global public good,”when its domestic epidemic has not been controlled and national vaccination needs have not been met.There are profound motivations at the system,unit and individual levels behind this seemingly abnormal diplomatic behavior.At the international level,Russia needs to maintain its dominant position in the CIS region.Cooperation with European and American countries is conducive to easing the sanctions pressure from the West.Extensive cooperation in Asia,Africa and Latin America is conducive to improving Russia’s international image and enhancing its regional influence.At the domestic level,Russia’s diplomatic behavior is related to the people’s expectation of the country’s international status,which is closely related to the promotion of the legitimacy of Putin’s regime.At the same time,the considerable economic benefits brought by vaccine cooperation and the vital opportunity for the revival of the domestic medical industry have both played a strong driving role in Russia’s international cooperation on vaccines.