Humanitarian situation in Ukraine deteriorating due to continuous Russian bombing - Borrell

High Representative of the European Union, Josep Borrell, said this at a press conference following an extraordinary meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council with the participation of the US Secretary of State and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Canada, the United Kingdom and NATO Secretary General, with the online participation of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, according to Ukrinform.

“The humanitarian situation on the ground is becoming more and more difficult due to this continuous bombing of the Russian army.  They are shelling residential housing, schools, hospitals, and other civilian infrastructure. It looks like they want to destroy Ukraine.  The UN Human Rights Council, as you are aware, has voted today on the urgent establishment of a commission of inquiry to address these violations of human rights and international humanitarian law,” he said.

Borrell noted that the number of people who are escaping Ukraine and crossing the borders of the European Union and also other countries like Moldova, is today more than one million people and it is increasing very quickly.

“People – children, mothers, fathers - need food, need basic items. I saw it yesterday myself in my visit to Moldova, where I visited a refugee reception centre. I have seen many of them around the world, but it is heart-breaking. You never get used to these kind of things. Putin must allow humanitarian aid to go into Ukraine,” he said.

Borrell said that the International Red Cross is not able to enter the country and we need green corridors for the Red Cross to be able to help the Ukrainian people. 

“The European Union is committed to providing access to everyone fleeing the war in Ukraine and hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have already arrived in the European Union and are going to several Member States, from the borders into the European Union. Member States highlighted the need to further support front-line Member States and asked the Commission to look into this and to mobilise resources from the budget of the European Union and the Commission services,” he said.

The high representative stressed that the most important and pressing request is that Russia ceases its military operations and withdraw from the territory of Ukraine. The same goes for Belarus, who is a full accomplice to Moscow. 

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