Interfax: Moscow ready for transparency in delivering second aid batch for eastern Ukraine – Lavrov

MOSCOW. Aug 25 (Interfax) – Russia is ready for complete openness in its actions in issues relating to the delivery of humanitarian aid to south-eastern Ukraine and urges against speculation on this topic, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a news conference in Moscow.

“We have an absolutely open approach here and we are ready for complete transparency, as this was done regarding the first convoy,” Lavrov said.

“No secrets exist here. We think that no attempts to speculate on this humanitarian situation and to abuse it can be allowed,” the minister said.

Lavrov said he did not even want to think about artificial attempts to delay the process, as happened with the first convoy, could occur when sending the second batch of the Russian humanitarian aid.

The latest documents released by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and a special monitoring mission by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) make it absolutely clear that these organizations are stopping the attempts to suppress the real humanitarian situation in south-eastern Ukraine, Lavrov said.

“They express more and more concern regarding the escalating humanitarian crisis. The Red Cross has emphasized its intention to expand humanitarian activities in south-eastern Ukraine, especially in Luhansk and its outskirts. The OSCE has supported continuing humanitarian efforts,” the minister said.

“We will participate in these efforts. We want to agree our actions with the Ukrainian leadership, who also plan to send additional humanitarian cargo to the southeast,” Lavrov said.