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UN welcomes Russia’s support in Donbass humanitarian work — coordinator

"Russians have actually been quite supportive of us in our efforts to get registration," Niel Walker said

GENEVA, February 14. /TASS/. UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine Neal Walker has hailed Russia’s support in UN efforts to get registration to help Donbass population in areas not under Kiev’s control.

"Russians have actually been quite supportive of us in our efforts to get registration," Niel Walker told a briefing in Geneva on Tuesday. "We have had a number of different meetings with them in different forums, primarily in UN in New York, but also through the embassy in Ukraine," he added.

"They have expressed appreciation for apolitical nature of our humanitarian work, even without registration, what we have been able to do, and for the fact that we have been pretty effective at getting humanitarian assistance to vulnerable people," the humanitarian coordinator said.

Walker said the level of trust in UN agencies has changed over the past two years in Donbass areas not under Kiev’s control. He said the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics now say "We want a long term relationship with the United Nations, we see what you are doing, we would like regularize that".

Walker said that together with partner organizations the UN is doing its best to help the people of Donbass. A third convoy with humanitarian cargoes has been recently dispatched for residents of territories not in Kiev’s grip. He said the conflict in eastern Ukraine has affected about 3.6 million people, and the UN intends to help them.