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Foreign Minister Tsahkna in New York: holding Russia's leadership to account should not be mere wishful thinking

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

22.09.2023

Yesterday 21 September, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna met with the UN's Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo and attended several events dealing with accountability. The focus of the meetings was on the creation of an international tribunal, and the situation of Ukrainian children in the war of aggression.

At his meeting with Under-Secretary DiCarlo, Tsahkna said that in a situation where the aggressor is holding the UN Security Council hostage and the council is paralysed, we must take steps to restore the work of the council. "This means we need to reform the council," Tsahkna said. He also noted that one of Estonia's priorities was to keep the international spotlight on Ukrainian children. "Here it is important that we can cooperate with other countries and organisations to make sure Ukrainian children get back home," the foreign minister said, adding that the issue of holding Russia's leadership to account cannot be mere wishful thinking; instead, it requires us to take real and practical steps.

Tsahkna and DiCarlo also spoke about the Black Sea grain deal and the possibility of exporting Ukraine's grain through the Baltic States.

Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna attended the informal ministerial meeting of the network of the International Criminal Court (ICC), thanking the ICC's prosecutor for his consistent work. "Since the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the ICC has made great progress, launching an investigation into the war and issuing warrants for the arrest of Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova," the minister said. He also said that it was crucial to achieve political support for establishing the international special tribunal and maximum consensus across regions. "Our priority is that the organisers and perpetrators of all these crimes stand trial and are held to account, including Russia's leadership headed by President Putin," he added.

Tsahkna noted that Estonia's contribution to upholding international law was the candidacy of Andres Parmas to the International Criminal Court this year.

The foreign minister's speech at the informal ministerial meeting of the ICC - https://vm.ee/en/news/informal-ministerial-network-imn-international-criminal-court-icc