Condemning in the strongest possible terms the atrocities committed by Russian armed forces in a number of occupied Ukrainian cities that have now been liberated, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, warned, on Monday 4 April, that the EU will advance, “as a matter of urgency”, work on further sanctions against Russia.
Many European leaders have condemned these atrocities, sometimes referred to as “war crimes”, and have called for further action. Further measures are expected to be discussed by Member States’ ambassadors to the EU on Wednesday 6 April. According to Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni, “all possible sanctions remain on the table, now more than ever”. However, Member States are still divided over an embargo on Russian energy.
For his part, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kouleba, has demanded new G7 sanctions, including an energy embargo, the closure of ports to any Russian ship or goods and the disconnection of all Russian banks from Swift.
In his statement on behalf of the EU, the High Representative underlined the EU’s full solidarity with Ukraine and its people “in these sombre hours for the whole world”, adding that the Union would continue to strongly support the country. In his statement on behalf of the EU, Mr Borrell said that “haunting images of large numbers of civilian deaths and casualties as well as the destruction of civilian infrastructures” show the “true face” of Russia’s war. “The massacres in Bucha and other Ukrainian towns will be inscribed in the list of atrocities committed on European soil”, Mr Borrell warned.
According to the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Iryna Venediktova, the lifeless bodies of 410 civilians were found in the territories of the Kyiv region recently retaken from Russian troops. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of “genocide”.
The EU diplomatic chief said the Russian authorities were responsible for the atrocities committed while in effective control of the region and subject to international law of occupation. He said that “the perpetrators of war crimes and other serious violations as well as the responsible government officials and military leaders will be held accountable”.
“The heartbreaking images cannot and will not go unanswered. The perpetrators of these heinous crimes must not go unpunished “, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also stressed in a statement after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Gathering evidence
The High Representative of the Union recalled the EU’s support for all measures to hold the Russian armed forces accountable for violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Ukraine.
He said that the EU was assisting the Prosecutor General and civil society in Ukraine in their efforts to collect and preserve evidence of war crimes.
For her part, Mrs von der Leyen announced that the EU had set up a joint investigation team with Ukraine to collect evidence and investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity, explaining that the Union was ready to reinforce this effort by sending investigative teams on the ground to support Ukrainian prosecution services. “Eurojust and Europol are ready to help”, she added. According to Mrs von der Leyen, discussions are underway between Eurojust and the International Criminal Court to join forces and for the Court to become part of the joint investigation team.
“This coordinated approach by the Ukrainian authorities, the EU, its Member States and agencies, and the International Criminal Court will ensure that the evidence is collected, analysed and processed in the most comprehensive and efficient way possible”, said the European Commission President.
Mrs von der Leyen announced that she had instructed the Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, to follow up and to contact the Ukrainian Prosecutor General.
The Polish Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, advocated for the creation of an international commission of inquiry into what he called “genocide”, the “bloody massacres committed by Russians, Russian soldiers” in Ukrainian towns. On Sunday 3 April, he called for an extraordinary European Council.
Russia has denied responsibility for the atrocities, calling for a UN Security Council meeting to discuss a “provocation by Ukrainian radicals” in Bucha. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)