Guatemala City, by Brenda Larios -AGN.- On his third day of the working visit to New York, President Alejandro Giammattei participated in the United Nations Security Council to address the issue of peace in Ukraine.
During his speech, the president reiterated Guatemala’s support for peace in Ukraine: “The Group Of Friends will support all meaningful efforts to bring perpetrators to justice. This includes justice for crimes against children, such as the abductions of Ukrainian children to Russia, and restoring a sense of justice for the many victims of the war.”
The goal is to create a path to justice, often a long and costly road, but these countries will sustain the process.
Aggression Against Ukraine
In his speech, President Giammattei thanked those present for allowing him to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of Friends of Accountability after the aggression against Ukraine.
Forty-nine United Nations Member States and the European Union comprise this organization.
In his intervention, President Alejandro Giammattei underscored that 574 days had passed since Russia’s full-scale invasion of the territory of Ukraine and that this illegal aggression is a clear violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He also emphasized that Russia’s actions flagrantly violate international law, including the United Nations Charter. As such, the General Assembly has strongly and repeatedly condemned these aggressions in its adopted resolutions.
The participants
The Ukrainian government and 49 member states, including Albania, Colombia, Denmark, the Marshall Islands, and the Netherlands, launched the Group of Friends for Accountability Following the Aggression Against Ukraine.
This group aims to ensure justice for the crimes committed during the current war and is open to other countries. The United States and other nations have recently announced their adherence.
The intention is to work in New York and Geneva and serve as a forum to promote and coordinate the different processes to prevent impunity for serious crimes.
Its origin
This group was established on March 25, 2022. The launching ceremony took place online.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, and the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, and many others attended on this day.
The ICC Office of the Prosecutor launched an investigation into war crimes against humanity in Ukraine at the beginning of March after receiving a request from 39 countries, including Spain.
Before the ICC, dozens of countries were also filing complaints against Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold him accountable for the consequences of the invasion of Ukraine.
