Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Western countries are attempting to cover up what he described as the Kyiv regime’s crimes against humanity and are seeking to manipulate the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to serve their own political interests.
Lavrov met with ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric in Moscow.
During the meeting, Lavrov criticized Western policies regarding the Ukraine conflict, saying:
“Western countries are trying at every opportunity to whitewash and protect the Kyiv regime, which flagrantly violates international humanitarian law on a daily basis and commits crimes against humanity. These efforts are particularly evident in the context of the Ukraine crisis.”
“They Want to Manipulate the Red Cross for Their Own Interests”
Lavrov claimed that Western countries do not respect the ICRC’s fundamental principles and are attempting to manipulate the organization’s work to advance their own political and self-serving interests. He stressed that, under the current circumstances, it is more important than ever for the Red Cross to preserve its independence.
He also said that Russia supports strengthening the ICRC on the basis of the principles of independence and neutrality, which have formed the foundation of the organization since its establishment.
“We appreciate the Committee’s leadership for its decades-long commitment to upholding these principles,” Lavrov said.
“Russia Remains Committed to International Humanitarian Law”
Lavrov stated that Russia would continue to fulfill its obligations under international humanitarian law despite the current circumstances. Addressing ICRC President Spoljaric, he added:
“We expect you to make the same appeals to your other partners.”
Spoljaric: “We Are Ready to Help Families in Russia and Ukraine”
Speaking at the meeting, ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric emphasized the organization’s commitment to neutrality. She said the ICRC remains determined to work on both sides of the conflict to alleviate the suffering of civilians affected by the war.
“The ICRC is a neutral organization. We will assist civilians caught in the conflict and everyone affected by it. In the context of this conflict, we will do everything we can to ease the suffering of families in both Russia and Ukraine.”