RUSSIA TO SEND AID CONVOY INTO UKRAINE

EU FEARS PRETEXT

DONETSK , UKRAINE • Russia will send a humanitarian aid convoy into eastern Ukraine in co-operation with the International Red Cross, the Kremlin said Monday. The move came despite strong opposition from Ukraine and the West, which fear it is a pretext for sending Russian troops into rebel-held territory.

In the last week, Ukrainian government forces have closed in on the last pro-Russian rebel strongholds in eastern Ukraine, including surrounded Donetsk, the largest city in rebel-held eastern Ukraine.

Shortly after the Kremlin statement, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko took a phone call from U.S. President Barack Obama, according to their offices.

There was no immediate comment from the Red Cross.

Ukraine has long objected to Russia sending any aid to the region and the West has warned Russia that any attempt to send military personnel into Ukraine under the guise of humanitarian assistance would be seen as an invasion.

Ukraine and the West have accused Russia of supplying heavy weapons and other equipment to the rebels in eastern Ukraine, a charge Russia denies.

The Kremlin statement was made after a telephone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and European Commission chief José Manuel Barroso. It didn’t say when the convoy would leave or provide any other details.

Mr. Barroso’s office said in a statement that he warned Russia “against any unilateral military actions in Ukraine, under any pretext, including humanitarian.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei

EU’s readiness to increase its support

Lavrov said Russia has agreed on details of a humanitarian mission with the Ukrainian leadership. “I hope that our Western partners will not put a spanner in the works,” he said.

Mr. Lavrov said the Ukrainian military action in the east looks like an attempt to “raze it to the ground to force the Russians to leave and settle it with others who would have a different attitude to our nations’ history, culture, friendship and links that have existed for centuries.”

Mr. Barroso also talked to Mr. Poroshenko, emphasizing “the EU’s readiness to increase its support to the Ukrainian government-led humanitarian response efforts as well as to international humanitarian organizations.”