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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow will comply with international humanitarian law "no matter what," during talks in Moscow with International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Mirjana Spoljaric. The discussions covered violations of international humanitarian law in Ukraine, efforts to strengthen the ICRC, and plans for prisoner exchanges, as reported by TASS.
Coverage comparison
All reporting on this story comes from TASS, the Russian state news agency, which covered the meeting through four separate articles. The articles quote Lavrov and Spoljaric directly, with a formal and diplomatic tone overall. One article focuses on Lavrov's commitment to international humanitarian law, another highlights Russia's support for the ICRC, a third details Spoljaric's announcement on civilian assistance, and the fourth outlines the agenda for prisoner exchange discussions.
Key claims
Russia's commitment to international humanitarian law
Lavrov stated, "We will comply with our obligations under international humanitarian law no matter what," and expressed hope that the ICRC president would make similar calls to other partners. He added that the meeting would include "productive discussions about violations of international humanitarian law, as seen in Ukraine."
Strengthening the ICRC
Lavrov said Russia supports efforts to strengthen the ICRC while preserving its founding principles of impartiality and independence. "We value the committee's leadership for consistently striving to uphold these principles over many decades," he remarked. He also emphasized the importance of regular contacts, not only through the Foreign Ministry, for building clearer cooperation with the organization.
Assistance to civilians in Ukraine
Spoljaric announced that the ICRC will provide all necessary assistance to civilians affected by the conflict in Ukraine. "I look forward to this discussion and our continued dialogue and cooperation to be able to continue alleviating suffering as much as we can," she said, adding that assistance would be provided to families both in Russia and Ukraine. She noted that this work would continue "for as long as civilians continue to be under pressure."
Prisoner exchanges
Lavrov stated his intention to discuss prisoner exchanges with Spoljaric. He told her that "specific aspects of our cooperation with the ICRC on humanitarian issues, including the situation of prisoners and prisoner exchanges, will be discussed not only here today but also during your meetings at the Russian Defense Ministry, with the Russian human rights commissioner and with the children's rights commissioner." The meetings are planned with Russia's Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova and Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova.