The humanitarian aid commissioner of the European Union (EU) said the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) must vet and distribute the aid Russia sent to eastern Ukraine to make sure it will not be used for any political motive.

On Tuesday, Russia sent a convoy bringing carried water, food, and other necessities to eastern Ukrain but Kiev did not allow the vehicles to enter its territory.  Western governments previously warned Moscow not to use the operation to carry out underground military actions, The Moscow Times relayed.

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In an interview, EU humanitarian aid chief Kristalina Georgieva said they expect everyone to respect international humanitarian law in transporting the Russian aid. She said the ICRC must assess the contents of the convoy and handle the distribution of the aid to make sure the items are handed out to those in need.

Georgieva called on the Russian convoy to respect the sovereignty of Ukraine. She also announced US$3.34 million worth of aid from the EU for the displaced Ukrainians.

On Monday, the ICRC said it discussed the delivery of the Russian aid with Ukrainian and Russian officials. The international health agency said they established strict guidelines in this mission to maintain its neutral role amidst conflicts.

Meanwhile, Georgieva detailed how civilians fled from the violence in eastern Ukraine but the remaining people there struggled with the scarcity of water, food and medical resources as a consequence of the fighting. She feared the situation would become more difficult for the remaining civilians if the conflict extended until winter.

For this reason, Georgieva said she hoped the EU and Russia could work together to rebuilt broken trust and succeed in the humanitarian mission in Ukraine.

The EU imposed sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Crimea in Ukraine. Moscow also received sanctions for supporting the separatists in Ukraine.

TagsEuropean Union, International Committee of the Red Cross, Russia, Ukraine, The Moscow Times, Kristalina Georgieva, Crimea