European Council Ministers for Justice reiterate support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression

The meeting, which was attended by the acting Minister for Justice, Pilar Llop, was also attended by the European Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders; and on behalf of Ukraine, the Minister for Justice, Denys Maliuska, and the Prosecutor General, Andriy Kostin.

The meeting was held within the framework of the Latvian Presidency of the European Council and is a follow-up to the May summit in Reykjavik, where the ministers agreed to launch a Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The meeting will address the promotion of the Register and the adoption of measures to promote the repatriation of children deported to Russia to Ukraine, as well as support for the Ukrainian judicial system and the investigations carried out by the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office.

In her speech, Pilar Llop expressed the "Government of Spain's firm commitment to ensuring accountability for international crimes committed in the context of the Russian war against Ukraine", and highlighted the value of the Register as "a key element" for future investigations into the conflict, which "Spain has supported since its inception".

The Minister for Justice, on behalf of the Presidency of the Council of the EU, reiterated that they remain "committed to the initiatives promoted in recent months, and we are working together with the European Commission to achieve their objectives".

Llop also sent a message of support to the Ukrainian people, reaffirming "Spain's deep and sincere solidarity with the Ukrainian authorities and especially with the Ukrainian citizens who are suffering the consequences of this illegal war".

The Minister for Justice has expressed her "dismay at the death of the Spanish aid worker in Ukraine", Emma Igual, and has sent a message of support to her family and loved ones.

At the end of the session, the participants signed a joint statement condemning the aggression and demanding full accountability for Russia's actions. They have also shown their support for the Ukrainian justice system and called on the stakeholders involved, including international organisations, to assist in searching for the Ukrainian children and returning them to their families.

Bilateral meeting with Ukraine

During the session, Llop held a bilateral meeting with the Prosecutor General for Ukraine, Andriy Kostin, in which they discussed legal cooperation between the two countries to ensure accountability for war crimes committed by Russia since the beginning of the war.

The Minister took advantage of the meeting to offer and request the necessary cooperation for investigating the death of the Spanish aid worker while she was helping people in vulnerable situations.

Non official translation