The heads of diplomacy of the G7 countries “welcomed the ongoing investigation and evidence-gathering work” in Ukraine.
Those responsible for war crimes committed in Ukraine, where the Russian army is accused of bombing civilians, will be “responsible” to international justice, G7 foreign ministers warned Thursday in a joint statement.
The heads of diplomacy of this group, chaired by Germany this year, “welcomed the work being done to investigate and collect evidence, including by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court” in Ukraine.
“Those who commit war crimes, including the indiscriminate use of weapons against civilians, will be held accountable,” the ministers of Germany, France, Italy, America, Japan, Canada and Italy said in a statement.
Visit of the ICC Prosecutor to Ukraine
The prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is investigating allegations of war crimes in Ukraine, visited the country on Wednesday and held a video conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The prosecutor’s office launched an investigation into the situation in Ukraine on March 3, having received approval from more than 40 ICC member states.
The ICC, based in The Hague, was established in 2002 to prosecute persons prosecuted, inter alia, for war crimes, crimes against humanity or acts of genocide. In addition, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), based like the ICC in The Hague and responsible for settling disputes between states, on Wednesday ordered an immediate halt to the Russian offensive in Ukraine.
The G7 ministers are calling on Russia to “implement” this order from the International Court of Justice, the UN’s highest court. Russia, which has said it will intervene militarily to end “genocide” against pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, rejected the decision on Thursday. Decisions of the International Court of Justice are binding and not subject to appeal, but a court that bases its findings mainly on treaties and conventions has no way of enforcing them.
“Until now, Russia has pretended to comply with international law. If she does not agree to comply with this order, then this is clearly beyond the scope of international law and does not cause any disputes, ”the French diplomatic source emphasized, however.
Consideration of MCs with a duration of “at least two years”
France stated that, for its part, it was ready to “intervene” together with Ukraine in the proceedings at the International Court of Justice, when the latter considers the merits of the Russian military intervention and Moscow’s accusations of violating international law.
“This case also concerns our fundamental interests of full compliance with international law,” said Anne-Clair Legendre, a spokeswoman for French diplomacy.
Such state intervention, permitted by the ICJ statute, remains rare. According to a French diplomatic source, other G7 and European countries may join France in this process. “We will do it in concert,” the same source added. This review of the substance of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine will take “at least two years,” the same source said. The intervention of third states can strengthen the legal position of the party for whom they act.