Russian seats remained empty at International Court of Justice hearing

“The fact that the Russian seats are empty speaks volumes. They are not here in court: they are on the battlefield, waging an aggressive war against my country,” Ukraine’s envoy Anton Korynevych said this morning. He urged Russia to “lay down its arms and put forward your evidence”.

The court says it regrets Russia’s absence. Ukraine said on Monday that Russia’s allegations are unfounded and that the alleged genocide in eastern Ukraine “does not exist”. The court will issue a ruling “as soon as possible”.

Genocide

The case revolves around the interpretation of a 1948 treaty to prevent genocide, signed by both countries. The treaty names the International Court of Justice as the place for resolving disputes between signatories. Ukraine says Moscow is misusing this treaty as justification for the war.

The International Court of Justice is the highest court for settling disputes between states. Often cases take years, but there is an opportunity for an accelerated procedure to review requests for “interim measures”, as Ukraine has now requested.

The judge can impose measures to prevent the situation from deteriorating. He then considers more fundamental questions, such as the merits of a case.

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