Lithuania requested the meeting to be held at 3pm local time (7pm Irish time) to discuss the entry of scores of trucks that Ukraine has described as an "invasion”. The Pentagon has said the US is very concerned about the movement of the convoy into the Ukraine and has urged Moscow to withdraw it immediately.
"Russia must remove its vehicles and its personnel from the territory of Ukraine immediately. Failure to do so will result in additional costs and isolation," Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby told reporters.
"Russia should not send vehicles, persons, or cargo of any kind into Ukraine, whether under the guise of humanitarian convoys or any other pretext, without Kiev's express permission," he said.
NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen sharply criticised the Russian decision to advance a "so-called" aid convoy into Ukraine on Friday as a "blatant breach" of international commitments that "only deepens the crisis".
"This is a blatant breach of Russia's international commitments... and a further violation of Ukraine's sovereignty by Russia," Mr Rasmussen said in a statement.
He poured doubt on Moscow's claim that the convoy, which had been waiting at the border for a week, was actually meant for humanitarian purposes.
Ever since Russia annexed Crimea in March, NATO has taken a leading role in Western accusations that Moscow was actively involved in destabilising eastern Ukraine.
The transatlantic military alliance accuses Moscow of actively providing weapons and fighters to pro-Kremlin separatists as well as massing its own troops near the border.
Putin tells Merkel further aid delays to Ukraine 'unacceptable'
Russian President Vladimir Putin has told German Chancellor Angela Merkel that further delays in delivering humanitarian aid into eastern Ukraine would have been unacceptable, the Kremlin said in a statement.
In a phone call initiated by the German leader, Mr Putin said that following "clear procrastination" by Kiev, Russia decided to begin the controversial mission because "further delays would have been unacceptable" given the humanitarian catastrophe in the conflict zone, the Kremlin said..........................http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0822/638694-ukraine-convoy/
22/8/14
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