Red Cross demands answers

DW: All parties involved in the conflict seem to agree that humanitarian aid is needed in the region - and that itshould be coordinated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Yesterday there seemed to be a consensus on the issue, but today there has been some rather confusing news about a Russian convoy with 280 trucks carrying relief supplies. How much do you know about this?

Andre Loersch: There was a general agreement between all parties that Russia was to deliver humanitarian aid in cooperation with the ICRC. The aid was to be handed over to the ICRC, which was to distribute it according to its own procedures. We were also supposed to receive an official notification from Russia on the contents and nature of this aid - a precise list of what they intended to provide us with - but we haven't received it. That's why the announcement of the convoy was a surprise. We are now trying to clarify the situation.

There was a phone call yesterday evening between the president of the ICRC and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. I am myself waiting for more details about this phone conversation.

What conditions need to be fulfilled before you can begin your aid mission?

The ICRC is already working in Ukraine. We are active in providing humanitarian assistance. For example, we have been providing medical assistance in the Donbas region, including the cities of Kharkiv and Mariupol.

The condition for us to participate in this operation is having the aid handed over to us so that we can examine it. It should be handed over at an official Ukrainian border point. And the ICRC should be in charge of delivering the supplies to the beneficiaries it has identified - we shouldn't be given any lists of beneficiaries.

We want to conduct our work independently according to our usual procedures and the organization's core values.

You've mentioned how important it is to remain neutral in this conflict. How can you avoid serving the interests of one side or becoming part of the propaganda?

We have partly done this through our negotiations on our participation in this mission. We hope to never be part of any propaganda and I hope we manage to keep our neutrality because if we lose it, we won't be able to work anymore. We insist on this neutrality because without it, the ICRC will lose the trust of a lot of people who need our help.