Thank you Mr. President, Mr Chair,

More than two years after Russia launched its unprovoked and unjustified full scale invasion of Ukraine, reports about Russia’s human rights violations and war crimes are piling up.

Reports, each one more damning than the previous one.

Reports, which clearly describe the atrocities committed by the Russian authorities against the Ukrainian people.

The latest one makes it crystal clear: Russia has implemented a policy of terror from which no one is spared.

Not the civilians, who are unlawfully detained, who suffer from indiscriminate attacks or have become the survivors of torture and sexual violence.

Not the prisoners of war who endure widespread and systematic torture, before being executed.

Not the children who are deported.

The list of international crimes committed by Russia is long and is becoming longer.

These crimes cannot be left unpunished. The victims deserve justice.

This is why the Netherlands is playing a leading role on point 7 of President Zelensky’s Peace Plan, and will organize, together with Ukraine and the European Commission, a ministerial conference on Restoring Justice for Ukraine in The Hague.

Although much of the work to achieve accountability for Ukraine still lies ahead of us, we express our deepest appreciation for the work of the CoI on Ukraine. Therefore, we strongly support the renewal of the Commission’s mandate, whose work remains indispensable.

Thank you.