As the death toll in Ukraine continues to rise due to war crimes and combat between Russian forces and Ukrainians, French President Emmanuel Macron is urging his peers to use caution when discussing Russia’s misdeeds in Ukraine. According to analysts, Russia’s invasion of the Kyiv area and the tragic Bucha massacre left evidence of war crimes. Because of the ongoing investigations, US Vice President Joe Biden has accused Russia of genocide. The international community, according to Macron, should not cross that boundary.
On France Bleu, Emmanuel Macron said, “The word genocide has a meaning, and the word genocide today should be qualified by lawyers, not politicians.”
“And I bring it to everyone’s notice.” If it is genocide, the states that regard it to be genocide are obligated to interfere under international law.”
“Does it seem to be what people want?” “I don’t believe so.”
The Genocide Convention defines genocide as the aim to eliminate “in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.” Despite the fact that Putin’s desire to kill the Ukrainian people becomes evident, the convention states that “the intent is the most difficult factor to determine.”
Members of the Convention are required to punish genocides and to trial those accused of genocide in a state tribunal — in the context of the Ukraine-Russia war, this is Russia.
US President Joe Biden justified his use of the term, saying, “Yes, I called it genocide because it’s become more and clearer that Putin is basically attempting to wipe away the notion of even being Ukrainian.”
“That is, to become a co-belligerent,” French President Macron stated, reflecting on the ramifications of declaring the conflict a genocide. As a result, I believe that everyone should be able to be rational.”
To avoid escalation into a full-fledged Third World War, the NATO alliance has been careful not to directly participate in the conflict. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken have both refrained from labelling the conflict as genocide.
Experts disagree on whether Russia’s war crimes and atrocities in Ukraine constitute as genocide, with some arguing that Russian aggression does not satisfy the legal definition of genocide and others, such as the UN, arguing that Ukraine is at risk of genocide.
“It is not assisting Ukraine, considering Ukraine, giving them all the assistance to enter verbal escalation without drawing all the repercussions and being in a type of position where words would no longer have any sense,” President Macron added.
“Do everything to stop this war, stand by the Ukrainian people, continue to have solidarity measures and work to find peace and protect our compatriots from war.”
