BERLIN, August 18 (RIA Novosti) — The foreign ministers of Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine have reached a consensus on the delivery of humanitarian aid to southeastern Ukraine during their meeting in Berlin, Russia’s top diplomat Sergei Lavrov said Monday.
"Certain progress was reached on a number of issues, which have long been up for discussion. First of all, this concerns the consensus that has finally been reached on the delivery of humanitarian aid to southeastern Ukraine," Lavrov said, commenting on the results of the talks.
"As far as the Russian initiative about sending 300 trucks with humanitarian aid is concerned, all issues… have finally been solved. Everything was agreed with the Ukrainian party and the International Committee of the Red Cross. I expect that this aid will be delivered as soon as possible to those who need it," the Russian foreign minister said.
The parties of the four states at the Berlin talks have also agreed to use the humanitarian aid experience in the future.
"In this case, this experience may be used in the future, because, very unfortunately, residents of southeastern Ukraine still have great need for this type of assistance," Lavrov said.
In light of the worsening humanitarian situation in Ukraine's eastern regions Russia proposed to the UN Security Council in early August to send an international humanitarian mission with Russian humanitarian aid under the auspices of the ICRC to the troubled regions.
On August 12, 280 trucks carrying about 2,000 tons of humanitarian aid, with 400 tons of grain, 100 tons of sugar, 62 tons of baby food, 54 tons of medication, 12,000 sleeping bags and 69 mobile electrical generators set off from the Moscow Region heading toward Ukrainian conflict areas.
The first 16 trucks of Russia’s humanitarian aid convoy arrived at the customs checkpoint at the Ukrainian border on Sunday, with more expected to follow. The head of the ICRC delegation for Russia, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine, Pascal Cuttat, examined the trucks Sunday and said he was satisfied with their condition, Russia’s Emergencies Ministry stated.
It is the second time that Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine have held negotiations on the Ukrainian crisis.
On July 2, Sergei Lavrov, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Francois Hollande and Pavlo Klimkin met in Berlin. Following the results of the two-hour negotiations, the four came up with a joint declaration strongly reconfirming their commitment to sustainable peace and stability in Ukraine.
