MOSCOW,   (Xinhua) -- Foreign ministers of the BRICS countries agree that unilateral sanctions impede the collective fight against COVID-19, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday.

"Such restrictive measures violate international law, interfere with the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and cause significant damage to the socio-economic development of the respective states," Lavrov said in a statement following an informal online meeting of BRICS foreign ministers.

Lavrov said that the participants in the meeting supported the call of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to suspend or abolish sanctions that bypass the UN.

He said that the participants agreed to consider the impact of the crisis on the system of international relations, when the global political and economic systems, international institutions and the national states themselves are tested for strength.

Lavrov said that the BRICS mechanism for the development and use of vaccines, including against coronavirus infections, should be launched as soon as possible.

For its part, Russia does not intend to discontinue financial support to the World Health Organization (WHO), despite the actions of other countries, he said.

According to Lavrov, the WHO is a unique platform which aggregates information and facts available from various states, and a structure that brings together the best professionals from all countries, including the United States.

The BRICS countries include Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The chairmanship of the bloc passed from Brazil to Russia on Jan. 1.  ■