EU and international coalition call on Russia to abide by ICJ ruling
“Russia has no right under international law, as confirmed most recently by the International Court of Justice, to use unilateral force on the territory of a third country and thus bears full responsibility for these acts of military aggression and all the destruction and loss of life it causes. The perpetrators of these serious violations and war crimes, as well as the responsible government officials and military leaders will be held accountable.” said High Representative Josep Borrell in a statement on 17 March.
The European Union condemns in the strongest possible terms the Russian Armed Forces and their proxies continued targeting of Ukraine’s civilian population and civilian infrastructure, detaining, abducting or kidnapping Ukrainian journalists, civil society activists, local officials and other civilians in Ukrainian territories temporarily under the illegal and illegitimate control by the Russian Armed Forces, as well as their siege of the city of Mariupol.
Such deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are shameful, reprehensible and totally unacceptable. They constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law. The EU reiterates its call on Russia to establish unhindered humanitarian access to Ukraine immediately.
On 17 March, the G7 Foreign Ministers demanded that the Russian leadership immediately complies with the order of the International Court of Justice to stop the assault on Ukraine, its population and civilian infrastructures, including hospitals and schools, and to immediately withdraw its military forces.
On 20 March, President Charles Michel of the European Council, talking to Italian press, reiterated the need to defend the international law. He reminded that “[The war in Ukraine] is not a confrontation between Russia and, on the other side, NATO and the EU. A very broad international coalition supports the defence of international law. We must use the means at our disposal to stop this conflict.”
More information:
17/03/2022 Ukraine: Statement by the High Representative on the targeting of civilians by Russia
17/03/2022 G7: Chair’s Statement on today’s call