Russian war of aggression
Baerbock: Hold Putin accountable for “primal crimes”.
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) speaks during the session on Ukraine at the UN Security Council in New York. photo
© Michael Kappeler/dpa
The Federal Foreign Minister accuses the kidnapping of children from Ukraine as a weapon of war. Germany has a special responsibility to ensure that Putin can be held accountable.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has demanded the Russian President To hold Vladimir Putin accountable for the “primal crime” of a war of aggression against Ukraine. Putin doesn’t even stop at the weakest people, “the children,” but includes them in his war of annihilation in a brutal way, the Green politician said yesterday in New York at a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Before the UN Security Council, Baerbock called for an international effort to bring the abducted children back to their parents. “Despite all the differences, one conviction should be beyond question: the deported children belong to their parents,” she said. “The horror of the deported Ukrainian children is the tip of the iceberg of the unspeakable suffering that the war in Russia has brought to so many children around the world.”
“Humanity is what unites us”
“Ever since I found out about these crimes, I can’t stop imagining how I would feel if these children were my own two young daughters,” Baerbock said. She knows that her colleagues from Africa, Asia and Latin America feel the same way. Even if not everyone in the group agrees on the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine: “Humanity is what unites us.” She added: “When an attacker doesn’t even stop at children, the tragedy turns into horrific inhumanity.”
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly spoke of barbaric crimes in the Security Council. “Russia is trying to erase Ukrainian identity and cultural history and is using children as a weapon of war,” he said.
Exchange of blows between in the Security Council
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba sharply criticized Russia for, among other things, suspending the grain agreement. The government in Moscow is increasingly losing control: “Putin’s regime is weakening by the day. And the most recent Wagner mutiny made it clear not only to the whole world, but also to the Russians themselves.” Russia’s deputy ambassador to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky, spoke of a “NATO proxy war against Russia.” The conflict in Ukraine is a private military campaign by Washington, London and Brussels.
Baerbock: Arrest warrant against Putin important sign
In March, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against Putin and Russia’s child rights commissioner Maria Lvowa-Belowa for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. They are allegedly responsible for the deportation of Ukrainian children and minors from occupied territories to Russia. In this context, Moscow speaks of evacuations. The arrest warrant issued by the ICC in March 2023 against Putin was an important sign, praised Baerbock.
Regarding the reform of international law: doing nothing would be wrong
In the absence of majorities to reform the Rome Statute as the legal basis for the ICC, Baerbock said: “We have a responsibility to join forces and find ways to close the accountability gap for the original crime (…). ” She went into detail about the Nazi crimes in World War II. “My country, Germany, has waged inhuman wars of aggression and committed the most atrocious genocide that has killed millions,” she said. “That’s why we have a special responsibility to do our part to ensure that crimes like this never happen again.”
Baerbock emphasizes: Reform the Roman Statute
The Federal Foreign Minister renewed her proposal for a reform of the Rome Statute – she wants to change it in such a way that the offense of aggressive war can also be prosecuted without restriction. It should be sufficient if the victim state of an aggression falls under the jurisdiction of the court. Currently, only the UN Security Council can refer the case to the court, as neither Russia nor Ukraine are contracting parties. As a permanent member, Russia has a right of veto in the Security Council. The majority needed for reform is not in sight.
Special tribunal for Russia’s crimes of aggression?
Baerbock again supported the proposal to hold the Russian leadership accountable for the aggressive war against Ukraine by means of a special tribunal. Such a tribunal should be based on Ukrainian law. International elements could include a location abroad, international judges and prosecutors, and a supporting UN General Assembly resolution.