On Tuesday, September 24, in New York, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha participated in a ministerial meeting of the Group of Friends of Accountability Following the Aggression against Ukraine.

"Justice is part of victory, and impunity is the biggest incitement to crime. We have no moral right to allow Russians to avoid accountability after killing thousands of innocent Ukrainians," he said.

The Foreign Minister recalled the numerous crimes committed by the Russian occupiers on Ukrainian territory since 2014: murders of civilians, destruction of critical infrastructure, deportation of children, sexual crimes, torture and other atrocities.

He reminded that in the course of full-scale aggression, Russia has already killed more than 600 children and injured more than 1500.

"It is vital for Ukraine, every Ukrainian and the whole world that Russia, its highest political and military leadership and Armed Forces held responsibility for all crimes committed against Ukraine," he said.

The head of the Foreign Ministry noted the efforts and leadership of the International Criminal Court in the investigation of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

He also payed the attention of those present to the fact that Ukraine recently ratified the Rome Statute demonstrating  its steadfast commitment to strengthening international justice.

Andrii Sybiha emphasised on the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

"We must bring to justice the leadership of the aggressor state, the so-called "Troika" — the President, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia. If we do not ensure their accountabiity for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, it will open a Pandora's box of aggressive wars all over the world," the Minister emphasized.

The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted that while war crimes, crimes against humanity and crime of genocide affected mostly civilians, Russia also has no right to kill Ukrainian military personnel.

Andrii Sybiha reminded that there are a number of tools to achieve justice for this crime. First of all, the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.

"A lot of work has been done in this direction since 2022, but the process is complicated. We insist that the "Troika" should not be immune from prosecution because they deserved to be hold accountable. The important work on the establishment of the Special Tribunal will continue," the Minister said.

The head of the Foreign Ministry also added that another tool could be the initiation of amendments to the Rome Statute, which would guarantee a clear definition of the crime of aggression and allow the International Criminal Court to grant jurisdiction over the crime of aggression.

"There will be no victory without justice. This is one of the important elements of the Peace Formula of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. I call on all of you to join efforts for its practical implementation," the minister emphasized.