76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly
High Level Launch Meeting of the Group of Friends of Accountability following the aggression against Ukraine
Statement by the Permanent Representative of Estonia to the UN, Mr Sven Jürgenson
25 March, New York
- We welcome the creation of this group of friends. It could serve as a useful forum to share information about the crucial work being done to achieve accountability.
- The international community was ultimately unable to prevent Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine, but we need to consolidate efforts to make it clear that impunity will not last.
- Russia must comply with the 16 March order of the ICJ (International Court of Justice) and immediately suspend the military operations in the territory of Ukraine.
- The horrific crimes committed on Ukrainian soil following the brutal military attack by Russia against Ukraine really cannot go unpunished.
- As others, we welcome the investigation opened on 2 March by the ICC Prosecutor. We also welcome the work of the mechanisms ensuring collection of evidence, including the Commission of Inquiry of the Human Rights Council and the OSCE mission, and proceedings at national level.
- In Estonia also criminal proceedings, based on universal jurisdiction in the case of Ukraine have been initiated. In this connection there is ongoing collection of evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Ukraine.
- Although the possibility to punish the commission of serious crimes will not fade with time, we need to act quickly now and in the first place ensure high quality collection and preservation of evidence to be used successfully in future proceedings.
- Until the aggression is halted and justice is done, we need to keep pressure on the Russian Federation to stop their gross violations of international law, including the humanitarian law, and the UN Charter.
- Until there is not full accountability for all perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity there should not only be no business as usual but no business at all with the Russian Federation