Prime Minister Kaja Kallas emphasised in her speech that everyone who is behind the crime of aggression must bear responsibility. “The crime of aggression is a crime of the Russian leadership. Putin and all other criminals must know that their judgment day will come,” she said. “It is also a matter of not repeating the horrors of history again,” Kallas added.
The Prime Minister pointed out that so far Russia has never been held responsible for its crimes – on the contrary, every aggression has been followed by the next one. “We had the Nuremberg Tribunal and the Tokyo Tribunal, but there has never been a Moscow Tribunal, and that has given Russia the impression that they will go unpunished. We must stop the endless cycle of Russian wars of conquest and send a clear signal that no one in the Russian leadership is untouchable,” Kallas said. “If we fail in this, no one will be able to feel safe - crimes without punishment will encourage and inspire new atrocities.”
Kallas also noted that more and more countries are working together to establish an international special tribunal for prosecuting Russia for the crime of aggression. In addition to the crime of aggression, it is important to investigate war crimes, crime of genocide and crimes against humanity, and to hold the perpetrators accountable. “The International Criminal Court has a significant role to play here,” Kallas said.
Today's debate on “Against Lawlessness: Ensuring Accountability” brought together Karim Ahmad Khan, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, Nobel Peace Prize laureates Nadia Murad and Leymah Gbowee. The panel was moderated by David Miliband.
