Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Peter Maurer, who arrived in the Russian capital for a three-day visit. The two discussed humanitarian situations in various countries, including Syria. Following their meeting, Lavrov underlined the long-term cooperation between Russia and the Red Cross, which he characterized as impartial, honest with a depoliticized character. “Recently we have been especially intensively cooperating on humanitarian issues of the Syrian crisis and the situation in eastern Ukraine. We highly appreciate your traditionally impartial, honest, depoliticized character of the International Committee of the Red Cross activities,” said Lavrov.
Amid growing criticism of Russia by Western powers, regarding allegations of disregarding a humanitarian crisis in the rebel-held part of Syria’s city of Aleppo; President Maurer warned that the impact of the conflict risks to further destabilize international relations, which would further deteriorate the situation on the ground – urging countries to cooperate with humanitarian relief efforts and shape a common understand pertaining to international humanitarian law. “The impact of these conflicts risks to destabilize further international relations and therefore it is important that we have an opportunity to define cooperation which works against these destabilizing effects of the conflicts,” said the Red Cross President.
Maurer was expected to travel to Russia in a bid to secure access to civilians in Aleppo. Hundreds of people have been killed this week in a concerted push by the government and its allies to quash resistance in the rebel-held eastern part of the northern city and re-establish control over what was once Syria’s largest commercial hub.