All news

Russia doing everything possible for humanitarian assistance to Donbass, assures Kremlin

The Russian presidential spokesman declined, however, to respond to a question about whether Russia was ready to integrate Donbass, if Vladimir Putin believes that Kiev does not need that region

MOSCOW, July 13. /TASS/. Moscow is doing everything possible under international law to furnish humanitarian assistance to Donbass, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

"Russia is doing everything possible within the framework of international law for providing humanitarian assistance to these people, who have been rejected by their country," the Russian presidential spokesman pointed out.

The article by Russian President Vladimir Putin "On the Historical Unity of the Russians and Ukrainians" published on July 12 was written in the spirit of respect for the Ukrainian people and Ukraine, Peskov stressed. The time for publishing the article was chosen by President Putin on his own, the Kremlin spokesman said.

"Ukraine’s fate has been largely placed under foreign control. The elements of foreign control are well-known. In the article, you can also easily see the president’s belief that both Russians and Ukrainians remain parts of the single people with a common historical past and origin," the Kremlin spokesman added.

The Russian presidential spokesman declined, however, to respond to a question about whether Russia was ready to integrate Donbass, if Putin believes that Kiev does not need that region.

The Russian leader said during the Direct Line with President Vladimir Putin on June 30 that he intended to write an article on the history of the Russian people and its links with Ukraine. Putin said he hoped that residents of both countries would be able to familiarize themselves with the article. The piece was posted on the Kremlin’s website in the Russian and Ukrainian languages on Monday.