A week in Washington dedicated to the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine
On March 31st the Embassy of Lithuania, together with the Embassy of Liechtenstein during 107th annual conference of the American Society of International Law organized a discussion “Uniting for Accountability: A Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine Created at the United Nations." At the event, that received a lot of attention, international law experts from Lithuania, Liechtenstein and the USA discussed the importance of establishing a fully international special tribunal.
"The work has begun to investigate and expose the war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine, but we cannot forget the main cause of these crimes - the crime of aggression that commenced with the start of the war against Ukraine. Those who started the aggression must be held responsible" - Lithuanian Ambassador to the U.S. Audra Plepytė said at the beginning of the event. "Russian impunity is not an option for the international community."
"If we lack the courage and political will to ensure a timely response to aggression against Ukraine that will mean a continuing threat to international peace and security," Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Justice Gabija Grigaitė-Daugirdė said at the event. The arguments for the establishment international special tribunal presented by Ms. Grigaitė-Daugirdė were favorably received by the international legal experts gathered for the discussion.
During the past week, the Embassy of Lithuania participated in other events and meetings in Washington, DC dedicated to the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. A working breakfast was held at the U.S. Congress with a group of women who are members of the House of Representatives from the Democratic party with participation of several foreign ambassadors, where the need for accountability of the Russian Federation and its leaders for the war crimes was discussed. Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Justice Ms. Gabija Grigaitė-Daugirdė also held bilateral meetings with representatives of the U.S. administration, legal community, civil society, and NGOs.
