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Lithuania's Foreign Minister Landsbergis draws attention of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to the role of Belarus as Russia's accomplice in committing war crimes against Ukraine

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2023.06.06

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis sent a letter to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Karim A. Khan, stressing that it is necessary to assess the role of Belarus as Russia's accomplice in order to achieve justice and accountability for Russia's war crimes against Ukraine.

"I also welcome the decision of the International Criminal Court's Pre-Trial Chamber II to issue arrest warrants against the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, and Commissioner for Children's Rights in the Office of the President Maria Lvova-Belova, in connection with alleged crimes of unlawful deportation and unlawful transfer of children from occupied territories of Ukraine in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine. This decision is of crucial significance and a very important step towards holding the perpetrators, masterminds and planners, including Russian leaders, to account for the serious violations of international law. However, to ensure full accountability for the war crimes and other most serious crimes in connection with Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, actions of Russia's accomplices, which are aiding and abetting Russia in its war crimes, should also be taken into account, and their role in contributing to these crimes brought to light," Landsbergis writes in his letter to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

Lithuania's chief diplomat forwarded to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court the detailed information on the involvement of Belarusian political elites and state-owned enterprises in the deportation of Ukrainian children to Belarus, collected by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. In February last year, Lithuania appealed to the International Criminal Court, highlighting the apparent involvement of the Belarusian regime and its role in Russia's war against Ukraine.

The International Criminal Court, which issued arrest warrants against the Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Commissioner for Children's Rights in the Office of President Maria Lvova-Belova, is the leading international criminal justice organisation investigating war crimes committed during Russia's aggression against Ukraine.