France reiterates its support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people [fr]

Mr. President,

France would like to thank the United Kingdom, Albania and the United States for organizing this meeting.

We would also like to thank the members of the Commission of Inquiry for their briefings.

France welcomes the quality and impartiality of the report that the Commission of Inquiry has just submitted to the General Assembly. It is inaccurate, as our colleague from the Russian Federation would have us believe, to think that the Commission has an anti-Russian bias. We welcome the renewal of its mandate last April, which unfortunately remains necessary in view of the continuing crimes committed by the Russian Federation. We reiterate our full support for its work, which is essential to document the human rights violations committed in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

The Commission’s report is clear: Russia is violating international humanitarian and human rights law in Ukraine.

It is responsible for indiscriminate attacks against civilians, large-scale attacks on civilian infrastructure, torture, sexual violence including rape, and the deportation and forced transfer of children.

Russia is committing these crimes in violation of the United Nations Charter, in the name of an unjustified and illegal war of aggression.

France condemns them in the strongest possible terms.

Such crimes must not go unpunished. As our colleague from the Swiss Confederation reminded us, in the long term there can be no peace without justice.

In this respect, the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry plays an important role. By shedding light on the heinous crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine, the Commission’s reports help to establish responsibility and combat impunity.

We would also point out that the International Criminal Court has already issued two arrest warrants, including one for the Russian President himself, presumed responsible for the war crime of illegally deporting children from the occupied territories of Ukraine to Russia.

At a time when Russia is seeking to instill doubt as to the continuity of our support for Ukraine, let me repeat clearly and firmly: France will continue to provide logistical and financial support to Ukrainian and international jurisdictions, as long as Russian officials have not been held to account for their abuses.

France reiterates its support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, who have been resisting a brutal and illegal war of aggression for over six hundred days, with a courage that arouses admiration.

Thank you.