Russia: ICRC president arrives in Moscow to discuss critical humanitarian issues

 

Geneva (ICRC, 01 July 2026) – The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, arrived in Moscow for a two-day high-level visit to discuss critical humanitarian issues relating to the international armed conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine. The visit is also an opportunity to discuss humanitarian concerns arising from armed conflicts globally.

Meetings planned with senior Russian officials will address issues related to international humanitarian law, including the importance of protecting civilians and the infrastructure they depend on, upholding the rights of prisoners of war and other protected persons as well as clarifying the fate of missing people. 

The visit by President Spoljaric to Moscow is part of ICRC’s ongoing humanitarian dialogue with Russian authorities. The ICRC engages in such conversations with parties to conflicts to discuss their obligations under the Geneva Conventions to limit suffering in war.

By maintaining a neutral, operational presence on both sides of the front line, the ICRC delivers life-saving aid to vulnerable populations, whoever they are and wherever they are. In addition to its work in Russia and Ukraine, ICRC’s Central Tracing Agency Bureau in Geneva collects, maintains and transmits vital information regarding the fate of military personnel and civilians who have gone missing or have been separated from their families. (ICRC News Release; Posted and Edited by Jun Enriquez, Digital-Mobile Journalist)