Finland Still Awaiting Approval for Humanitarian Aid Delivery to Ukraine

The Finnish Red Cross said that a new humanitarian cargo containing clothes had long been waiting to be sent to Ukraine, but Kiev was stalling the process.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Finnish Red Cross (FRC) is ready to deliver humanitarian aid to conflict-torn eastern Ukraine but still has not received approval from Kiev, FRC international operations manager Kalle Loovi said.

According to Finland's Yle broadcaster, Loovi said that a new humanitarian cargo containing clothes had long been waiting to be sent to Ukraine, but the Ukrainian government was stalling the process.

The broadcaster said that Loovi last held talks with Ukraine's ambassador on Monday, with the diplomat informing the FRC manager that the country was in the process of altering its laws to solve such bureaucratic delays.

Loovi reportedly expressed hope that the humanitarian aid would be sent to Ukraine this week.

On February 5, Loovi said that the dialogue with Ukrainian authorities was "mired in bureaucratic red tape," hindering the delivery of the humanitarian cargo, although the Ukrainian government said earlier that it would allow the humanitarian deliveries in the coming days.

The Finnish Red Cross previously sent clothes to southeastern Ukraine in the fall.

Russia has also been providing humanitarian aid to southeastern Ukraine, sending more than a dozen relief cargo convoys with food, blankets, medicine, electric power generators and building materials. Germany has also contributed to the cause, sending 112 trucks of humanitarian aid in October 2014.