High-Profile Conference in The Hague Demands Russia Immediately End Its Aggression in Ukraine

Paul Goble

            Staunton, July 15 – In a move with enormous symbolic value given where and when they convened, representatives of 45 countries meet in The Hague in support of Ukraine’s suit against Moscow in the International Court of Justice which is located there concerning Russia’s ongoing commission of genocide in Ukraine.

            The European Union and representative from 45 countries adopted a declaration in support of Ukraine’s suit against Russia within the framework of the Anti-Genocide Convention. They also called on Moscow to immediately cease military actions in Ukraine and said its failure to do so would be “a further violation by Russia” of its obligations (dw.com/ru/что-решили-участники-конференции-по-военным-преступлениям-в-украине/a-62477883).

            The goal of this conference, organizers said, was “to guarantee that crimes committed during the war by Russia against Ukraine will not remain unpunished.” To that end, participants agreed to expand cooperation in the exchange of evidence and the provision of legal assistance to Ukraine and its investigators on the ground.

            In a video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for the formation of a special tribunal on Russian crimes in Ukraine. Existing arrangements, he said, are too slow; and in this case as in many others, justice delayed  is in fact justice denied as far as the victims are concerned.