On 14 July 2022, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs, took part in the Ukraine Accountability Conference in The Hague, at which participants discussed ensuring accountability for war crimes committed by the Russian Federation in Ukraine.
In his speech, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia noted that it is now important to hold the Russian Federation accountable both at the national and international levels for the atrocities committed against Ukraine and its people. Every day, Russia's brutal, illegal actions cause enormous human suffering. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also had wide-ranging global ramifications, including supply chain disruptions, as well as the current energy crisis and food shortages. It is the duty and responsibility of the international community to confront the aggressor and defend the principles of international order.
“Russia's war in Ukraine has posed an unprecedented threat to the rules-based international system. We are witnessing the blatant use of force against a sovereign state in violation of international law. Latvia has already engaged in several legal mechanisms to address the mass atrocities committed by Russia in Ukraine. We collect and analyse evidence of the crimes committed. Latvia supports the work of the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, which investigates war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine. A legal gap remains with regard to ensuring that crimes of aggression are properly investigated and that aggressors are prosecuted. We have to work together to bridge this gap," Rinkēvičs stated.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasized that it is especially important to provide all the necessary support to victims of the war in Ukraine. “Ukrainian women and children are particularly vulnerable to sexual and physical violence, which is often used as a weapon of war. Latvia provides support to individuals who have suffered from Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, particularly women and girls. We have allocated additional funding for the psychological rehabilitation of victims of war. We will also support updating the Ukrainian National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. We must now work together to develop a common approach and policy for support and assistance to, and the protection of victims in Europe and beyond. The crimes committed by Russia cannot and will not go unpunished. We need to apply all possible legal mechanisms to eliminate the existing legal loopholes, thus ensuring Russia's full responsibility for its crimes of aggression in Ukraine," Rinkēvičs declared.
Background information
Since the beginning of March this year, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) has been coordinating the Member States’ national investigations to provide support to Ukraine. The representative of Latvia to Eurojust provides active contribution to coordinating international cooperation with other countries and the International Criminal Court.
Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Netherlands