Greek FM cites plan to send assistance, evacuate civilians from Mariupol

Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias on Friday spoke with both his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, and with the president of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer.

“I briefed Ukraine’s foreign minister that I plan to visit Ukraine in the near future, and that Greece intends to send humanitarian aid to the suffering people of Ukraine, including to the Greek diaspora, on which our country attaches special importance,” Dendias said in a Tweet.

In touching on his talks with the ICRC’s president, Dendias cited the need to provide humanitarian aid to civilians in the besieged southeast Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, where a sizeable ethnic Greek community resides in the city and surrounding towns.

Dendias expressed hope that the evacuation of civilians, including ethnic Greeks, will be possible.

“Greece stands ready to assist evacuees,” he added.