BRUSSELS: The European Commission said on Thursday that there were no talks under way about buying Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine.

"Currently no talks are ongoing to integrate the Sputnik vaccine in the portfolio," a Commission spokesman told a news conference.

Earlier on Thursday, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it had begun a rolling review of the Sputnik V vaccine, which could lead to its approval for use in all 27 EU countries.

"Just because a vaccine is approved at European level, following positive assessment by the EMA, it does not mean there is any obligation for the Commission to include it in our portfolio," a second spokesman for the Commission said.

The vaccine has already been approved or is being assessed for possible approval in Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, which are all EU members.

National emergency approvals are allowed under EU rules, but expose countries to liability risks if something goes wrong with a vaccine, whereas an EMA authorisation offers more legal protection.