Delivered by: Mr Fredrik Nivaeus, Minister Counselor, Deputy Permanent Representative
Mr President,
Sweden aligns itself with the statements delivered on behalf of the European Union and of the Nordic Baltic states.
Let me start off by condemning Putin’s announcement last Friday of the annexation of another four regions in Ukraine, in blatant violation of international law. Sweden will never recognise Russia’s illegal annexation.
We fear the massacres uncovered in Ukrainian towns and villages previously under Russian control or occupation are only a fraction of what is yet to be discovered.
Extrajudicial executions, gruesome torture, forced disappearances, filtration. The victims include those active in the lawful defence of Ukraine as well as civilian men and women, old and young, and countless children. This bloodshed is carried out alongside widespread material destruction, including the demolition of schools and hospitals
Those responsible for these atrocities will be held to account. We cannot sufficiently stress the importance of the investigation currently conducted by the Prosecutor of the ICC. Many countries represented here today, including my own, Sweden, actively support this work and I urge all members of this Council to do the same.
Thank you.