Poroshenko tells Merkel he is considering humanitarian mission to Luhansk
MOSCOW. Aug 11 (Interfax) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has told German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel on the phone Kyiv is prepared to send a humanitarian mission to Luhansk.
"The president called attention to the effort of the Ukrainian authorities to start humanitarian assistance to cities. For instance, specialists may be sent to Luhansk for repairing power plants and water mains and food may be delivered," says a report posted by the presidential press service.
Following negotiations with International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Peter Maurer and other international partners, a possibility to send a humanitarian mission to Luhansk is being considered, Poroshenko said.
"We are ready to accept humanitarian aid but only if this mission is international and devoid of a military element, comes exclusively through border checkpoints controlled by Ukrainian border guards and is accompanied by Ukrainian servicemen for the sake of the mission's security," the president emphasized.
In the words of Merkel, Germany and its allies insist that any humanitarian mission must be arranged exclusively in conformity with international laws, only through UN or ICRC channels and strictly by agreement of Ukraine.
The German chancellor said their position was clear - "any intervention even if it is called humanitarian is still an intervention and this is a red line no country must cross."