G20 leaders attend the virtual Summit on November 21, 2020. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

At the online G20 Summit on Saturday, Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz called on the G20 leaders to ensure fair access to COVID-19 vaccines at an affordable cost for all.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said this was a global challenge that can only be overcome by working all together with international organizations such as the World Health Organization, the United Nations, and the G20. Sharing the same point of view, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “It is only by joining forces and working together that we will defeat coronavirus and build back better from this crisis.” French President Emmanuel Macron agreed that there can be no efficient response to this pandemic if it is not global.

According to Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, the G20 “should send out a clear message” that the major economies will lead the fight against the coronavirus. South Korean President Moon Jae-in appealed for an equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and drugs when they are available. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia is prepared to provide its own coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V, to countries in need. Chinese President Xi Jin-ping said China is ready to step up global COVID-19 vaccine cooperation.