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'Those responsible for Russian war crimes in Ukraine must be held accountable': Polish president at Davos

17.01.2023 14:30
Poland’s president has reiterated that those responsible for Russian war crimes in Ukraine must be held accountable.
Polish President Andrzej Duda attends the launch of the Ukraine Is You project at the 2023 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, January 17, 2023.
Polish President Andrzej Duda attends the launch of the "Ukraine Is You" project at the 2023 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, January 17, 2023. PAP/Radek Pietruszka

Andrzej Duda made the statement at the 2023 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.   

The president was attending the launch of a multidisciplinary project, entitled Ukraine is You, at the Ukrainian House in Davos. 

The project includes an exhibition about Russian war crimes in Ukraine.  

Duda told reporters: “It’s very important to highlight the war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine.” 

Those responsible 'must be held criminally accountable’

He added: “Those responsible for Russian war crimes in Ukraine, for what happened in Bucha and in other places in Ukraine, must be held criminally accountable.”

The president said that “hopefully all participants of the World Economic Forum in Davos will come here and see why Russian criminals must be pursued just as criminals are pursued in many other places around the world.”

He stressed: “It’s not a war that’s being played out on TV screens, it’s a real, terrible war, during which people are losing their lives and achievements of a lifetime.” 

‘Russia must be defeated’

Duda told reporters: “This war can only be ended in one way: Russia must be defeated and driven out of Ukraine.”  

The Ukraine is You project consists of exhibitions about Ukraine’s liberated southern city of Kherson and about Russian war crimes, as well as panel discussions, the PAP news agency reported.

Later on Tuesday, organisers were set to unveil "the black book of Russian war crimes" in Ukraine, according to PAP. 

Besides Duda, guests at the launch included former Polish president Aleksander Kwaśniewski and Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto.

Meanwhile, Andriy Yermak, a top aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, addressed the audience via video link from Kyiv. 

Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska was due to visit the Ukrainian House later in the day. 

Russia’s war may spread to other countries: Ukrainian first lady

In a special address to the World Economic Forum, Zelenska warned on Tuesday that Russia’s war against Ukraine could eventually spread to other countries as Moscow “never intended to restrict itself to the Ukrainian borders.”

She also called for efforts to prevent a potential nuclear disaster, stressing that “we cannot allow a new Chernobyl to happen.”

Tuesday is day 328 of Russia’s war against Ukraine. 

(pm/gs)

Source: PAP, Daily Mail