Russia & Ukraine Humanitarian Aid Controversy: Kremlin Plans Second Aid Convoy to Neighboring Ukraine
Less than a week after a convoy of Russian trucks entered Ukraine and angered the international community, Russia said it is planning another convoy to send to eastern Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the country hopes to send a second convoy sometime this week and defended Russia's decision to send the first convoy across the border, The New York Times reported.
Russia claims the convoy was carrying aid -- including water, food and medicine -- to war-torn eastern Ukraine, which has been a bastion of pro-Russian sentiment in the months-long conflict between the two countries.
But Ukrainian officials, as well as members of NATO and the EU, were more skeptical of Russian intentions. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the border crossing was a direct violation of international law while other officials called it an invasion.
Lavrov said the first convoy, which comprised some 220 trucks, delivered the aid without problems and that the Red Cross is helping distribute the aid, according to the Guardian. He also said Russia will continue acting with complete transparency.
In justifying the aid delivery, Lavrov cited the U.S. aid given in 2012 in Syria without government permission.
"The fact that the first convoy eventually delivered aid with no excess or incidents gives us reason to hope that the second one will go much more smoothly," Lavrov said.
The announcement of the second aid convoy comes the day before Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to hold talks at a summit in Belarus. This will be the first time the two have met since June.
Ukraine and Western governments have accused Russia of sending arms to pro-Russian militias in Ukraine, something Russia has denied. The U.S. and EU placed economic sanctions of Russia for its activities in Ukraine.
The international community is holding out hope that the summit will slow down the conflict between the two nations, but neither leader appears likely to concede much ground. It's not clear if Poroshenko and Putin will hold private meetings at the summit.
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