Ukraine insists that Russia should first face prosecution for war crimes for Kyiv to agree to hold peace talks, which could happen at the United Nations by the end of February, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Monday.
Kuleba said that the UN is probably the best venue for a potential peace summit and that the UN Secretary-General António Guterres himself could serve as the mediator, pointing out that every war ends partly on the battlefield as well as in a diplomatic way, at the negotiating table.
The establishment of the Special Tribunal regarding the crime of Russia’s aggression was first presented as an idea by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the G20 summit last month as part of his 10-point peace plan that includes, among other things, withdrawal of the Russian forces and cessation of hostilities, nuclear safety, and release of all prisoners of war.
Kuleba further argued that Russia can only be invited to this step if it faces a war crimes tribunal.
According to him, Kyiv also plans to demand to remove Russia as a permanent member of the UNSC, pointing out that Ukraine’s invader should have no right to remain a member of the Security Council and the UN member at all.
Established by the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine concluded back in October that Moscow’s forces are responsible for an array of war crimes and violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed in Ukraine.
According to the Ukrainian FM, the question of Russia’s veto-wielding permanent seat in the UNSC – where it potentially poses a threat to peace and security – has already been discussed in some diplomacy circles.
Poring through UN procedural rules Western powers have ensured to this moment that Moscow doesn’t block UNSC and have also turned to the 193-member General Assembly – another UN body – to seek condemnation of Moscow’s actions.
