Putin’s Meeting With Red Cross Chief Possible Next Week

Russian President Putin may meet with the president of the International Red Cross Committee in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman said adding that humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine may be among issues raised at the meeting.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russian President Vladimir Putin may meet with Peter Maurer, the president of the International Red Cross Committee who will visit Moscow next week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.

“The possibility of such a meeting is being studied,” he said, adding that humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine may be among issues raised at the meeting.

Maurer's two-day visit to Russia will begin on February 23. The organization's press service told RIA Novosti that Maurer is planning to meet with President Putin, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and several other high-ranking officials.

After his visit to Moscow, Maurer will continue to Kiev, where, on February 25-27 he will also have high-level talks.

Earlier, the head of the ICRC's delegation for Russia, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine, Pascal Cuttat, told RIA Novosti that the organization is ready to take part in Russian humanitarian convoys to southeastern Ukraine should Moscow and Kiev agree on the issue.

Cuttat called Russia's efforts to help the people of Donbas "extraordinary."

Moscow has to date sent 14 convoys carrying humanitarian aid to the people of eastern Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions, devastated by the armed conflict with Kiev.