BRUSSELS — European Union President Ursula von der Leyen says that the 27-nation bloc is ready to talk about a U.S. proposal to share the technology behind COVID-19 vaccines to help speed the end of the pandemic.

Without firmly committing to it, she said “we are ready to discuss how the U.S. proposal for waiver on intellectual property protection for covid vaccines could help” end the crisis.

In a video address, she said that, “In the short run, however, we call upon all vaccine-producing countries to allow exports.”