The US mission to the OSCE has made statements, delivered by Chargé d’Affaires Gary Robbins, in Vienna today.Below is an excerpt.

The United States continues to condemn strongly Russia’s destabilizing actions and ongoing support for armed separatists in eastern Ukraine as well as its continued occupation of Crimea.

The United States understands that talks are ongoing among the Governments of Russia, Ukraine, and representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Luhansk – a city in eastern Ukraine currently held by force by Russia-backed separatists. Considering the suffering the citizens of Luhansk have had to endure while separatists have controlled that city, we welcome this news. A convoy of trucks from Russia is currently making its way towards Ukraine, reportedly carrying humanitarian assistance. It is not entirely clear yet what is in the trucks, and this raises concerns. Our position is that no humanitarian assistance – either from Russia or anywhere else – can enter Ukraine without the permission of the Ukrainian Government. It has the final say on the modalities concerning this delivery and any other such delivery. It appears that we have some time before the Russian trucks get to Ukraine’s border. This should allow for any remaining details to be worked out before the trucks appear at the border.

If Russia wants to be part of an enduring solution to the crisis in Ukraine’s east, it must end its support to the separatist fighters. Russia has no right to intervene in Ukraine unilaterally and without Kyiv’s permission under any pretext…

We also call on the Russian government to halt its material support for the separatists, and to use its influence with the separatists to push them to lay down their arms and to release all hostages. We also call on Russia to end its occupation of Crimea, which remains an integral part of Ukraine. In taking these steps, Russia can contribute to a restoration of lasting peace in Ukraine.