ICRC Head Says Humanitarian Assistance in Ukraine Highly Politicized

President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer said that the conflict in Ukraine is a conflict in which a humanitarian assistance has been highly politicized.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Humanitarian assistance in Ukraine is highly politicized, which complicates aid deliveries, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer said Tuesday.

“The conflict in Ukraine is a conflict in which a humanitarian assistance has been highly politicized. This is not the first time when we are experiencing this. We have experienced it in the context of Syrian crisis,” Maurer said during press conference at Rossiya Segodnya press center.

Maurer, who recently met Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, said that he was encouraged by Putin’s words, adding that he values the Red Cross’ cooperation with Russia.

Eastern Ukrainian regions have experienced a severe humanitarian crisis in the past few months due to the fighting between Kiev forces and local independence supporters.

Russia, in cooperation with the Red Cross, has helped thousands of eastern Ukrainian refugees who were left homeless.

Since August 2014, Russia has sent 16 humanitarian convoys to Donbas, delivering food, water, clothes, medicines, power generators and building materials.