WASHINGTON, March 7 (Reuters) – The United States and its allies called on Russia on Monday to allow safe passage for civilians trapped in besieged cities in Ukraine and the delivery of aid to combat zones, saying the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine was rapidly deteriorating.
The emissaries of many countries including France, Ireland or the United States as well as the UN emergency relief coordinator, Martin Griffiths, have sounded the alarm bell in the face of the rapid increase in the number of civilian casualties during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
“We need a strong, clear and public commitment from Russia to immediately allow and facilitate immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access for humanitarian partners in Ukraine,” said US envoy to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield. , during this meeting devoted to the Ukrainian crisis.
Moscow on Monday offered to open humanitarian corridors to Russia and Belarus, after evacuations failed over the weekend.
“I’m not sure that many Ukrainians want to find refuge in Russia. It’s hypocritical,” said the French envoy to the UN, Nicolas de Riviere.
Martin Griffiths said all parties must be careful to spare civilians, who should be allowed safe passage to where they wish to flee.
“Civilians in places like Mariupol, Kharkiv, Melitopol and elsewhere desperately need help, including life-saving medical supplies,” he said.
Over 1.7 million Ukrainians have fled the country.
(Report Humeyra Pamuk and Daphne Psaledakis, with Chris Gallagher; French version Camille Raynaud)
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