Russia has committed numerous war crimes since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, so all of its military and political leadership should be held accountable by an international court.
This was stated by the President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda, who yesterday spoke before the UN Security Council on behalf of the three Baltic republics, reports a correspondent of Ukrinform.
„It is truly shameful that Russia is still able to hide behind its right of veto and actively uses this right to cover up the crimes of its partners. "Every person in this room knows about the many crimes of the Kremlin," he said.
The list of these crimes is long, the Lithuanian president said. That is why the Baltic States insist that these actions lead to accountability, he added.
„The entire political and military leadership of Russia must be held accountable,” Nauseda said.
In this regard, he indicated the need to create a special international tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. According to him, all countries that have ratified the Rome Statute must arrest war criminals under the orders of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Also, Nauseda noted that true accountability cannot be secured without a decisive victory for Ukraine.
„Peace can only be achieved through the full restoration of the territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. "Security can only be guaranteed by Russia's recognition that it will never prevail over the brave Ukrainian people," the Lithuanian president said. Therefore, according to Nauseda, it is the duty of the international community to support Ukraine “for as long as necessary until its final victory”.
As Ukrinform reported, a meeting of the UN Security Council was held yesterday in New York, dedicated to achieving peace and security in Ukraine. The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky also spoke at the event.