Levits: Perpetrators of war crimes in Kyiv region must face special tribunal

Levits made a relevant statement at a joint briefing with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Poland Andrzej Duda, President of Estonia Alar Karis, President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda in Kyiv on April 13, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

The President of Latvia noted that together with his colleagues he saw with his own eyes the horrors committed by the Russian military in Kyiv region.

“There is no doubt that war crimes were committed. There must be a responsibility for that… I would like to support the idea of setting up a special tribunal for the crime of aggression… similar to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia … I think we need to set up a special tribunal for Russia's war against Ukraine,” Levits said.

He stressed that the entire chain of Russian command must face this tribunal, from the first person that gave the general order to the last perpetrator who committed these crimes on the ground.

"No one can say that he did it on the orders of his superiors because these war crimes are crimes against humanity and such excuses are simply unacceptable," he said.

Levits also noted that Ukraine, which "is fighting for all of us", needs military assistance. In this context, he said that Latvia had spent a third of its annual military budget in two months to help Ukraine strengthen its defense capabilities.

"It is important that all NATO members help Ukraine with the effective weapons it needs today and tomorrow to defend itself. We represent four countries that are doing everything they can, and we call on other countries to help Ukraine," the President of Latvia said.

As reported, on April 13, President of Poland Andrzej Duda, President of Estonia Alar Karis, President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda, and President of Latvia Egils Levits arrived in Kyiv. They visited the localities in Kyiv region to see the consequences of Russian war crimes with their own eyes.

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