The United States has threatened to impose additional sanctions against Russia on Friday unless Russia removes a convoy that it claims is delivering humanitarian aid to Ukraine, but what the United States has called a “flagrant violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty”.
Russia sent the trucks carrying supplies into the eastern part of Ukraine that is currently under the control of the pro-Russian rebels. The convoy entered into the country on Friday morning without approval from the Ukrainian government, which claims that the trucks were actually carrying weapons for the rebels, and said that Ukraine was under “direct invasion”.
Ben Rhodes, the deputy national security advisor for President Barack Obama, told reporters in Washington that the so-called “humanitarian” convoy was illegal because it was sent without the approval of the Ukrainian government and was in violation of agreements that the International Committee of the Red Cross had to be involved in the delivery of any humanitarian assistance.
“The ICRC is not part of this delivery. The government of Ukraine did not give agreement for this convoy to move within their borders,” Rhodes said, adding: “Russia should take the opportunity to remove this convoy from within Ukraine. If they don’t, they will face additional costs and consequences from the United States and our partners in the international community.”
Read more about the story at Reuters.
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