New Zealand to join Ukraine in case against Russia before ICJ

Sydney (Australia), June 30. New Zealand on Thursday said it will join Kyiv in its case against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN’s highest court in The Hague.

The New Zealand government has formally backed Ukraine’s position, which accuses Russia of manipulating the Genocide Convention to “falsely” justify the invasion, which Moscow qualifies as a “special military mission”, according to a statement.

New Zealand officials have indicated that their intention is to participate in the process of securing the correct interpretation of the Genocide Convention, and that conflicts between countries should be resolved by peaceful means and not “by the use of illegal force”.

“We are deeply concerned about the loss of life and human suffering in Ukraine as a result of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s illegal invasion,” New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuda said.

“Aotearoa New Zealand stands ready to assist Ukraine and has already done so through a series of diplomatic, military and economic activities,” Mahuta added.

After the invasion in February, Kyiv complained to the ICJ that Russia had misinterpreted the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, a 1948 treaty the two countries signed.

The Ukrainian government has argued that Moscow has falsely justified its invasion of Ukraine based on the genocide of Russian-speaking people in the Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk and Lugansk, a charge Kiev flatly denies.

Last March, the court demanded that Russia immediately halt the invasion, but Moscow ignored the order, which is restrictive but does not have a police or military force to enforce it. EFE

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