On Thursday, 8 December, the Saeima adopted a statement On Russia’s international crimes in Ukraine and the prosecution of those responsible. The Statement strongly supports the investigation launched by the International Criminal Court with a view to identifying and prosecuting those who have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity on Ukrainian territory.
The Statement advocates the establishment, in addition to the International Criminal Court, which cannot exercise jurisdiction over the aggression against Ukraine, of a dedicated international tribunal for bringing perpetrators to justice for the international crime of aggression initiated by the Russian Federation on 24 February 2022 with a full-scale military invasion of the territory of sovereign Ukraine.
Members of the Saeima strongly condemn the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine, do not recognise the annexation of the captured territories, and regard the Russian Federation as the ultimate threat to peace, both in Europe and worldwide.
The Saeima joins the calls by the Ukrainian Parliament, like-minded states and international organisations to recognise the Russian regime as terrorist and the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism, and encourages the international community to adopt similar statements.
The Statement calls on the European Union (EU) to include the private Russian military company ‘Wagner Group’ in the list of persons, groups and entities involved in terrorist acts (EU terrorist list). The Euro-Atlantic Community and its partners are urged to implement comprehensive international isolation of the Russian Federation, including as regards membership in international organisations and bodies such as the UN Security Council. Likewise, the EU Member States are urged to continue to identify and prevent actions under the aegis and direction of Russian diplomatic missions that are incompatible with diplomatic status.
Furthermore, the Saeima urges to immediately and substantially reinforce political, economic, financial, military, technical and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine in order to help it defend itself against Russia’s war of aggression and attempts to destabilise Ukraine’s state institutions, undermine the country’s economic stability and destroy critical energy, communication, water and transport infrastructure, as well as educational, health and cultural infrastructure.
Members of the Saeima advocate the need to develop a legal regime at the European Union level that would enable EU Member States to use frozen Russian assets to rebuild Ukraine and compensate victims of Russian aggression;
The Saeima reiterates its strong support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, as well as its invariable decision not to recognise the annexation of Ukrainian territories, including the Crimean Peninsula, as well as its continued strong support for deeper integration of Ukraine into the Euro-Atlantic area.
The Saeima expresses its solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.
Saeima Press Service