Without justice, there can be no peace: Ukrainian human rights advocates condemned the U.S.-Russia talks that exclude Ukraine from the discussions.

Any agreements concerning Ukraine that do not involve its direct participation are not only unacceptable but also contradict fundamental principles of international law, the sovereignty of states, and the right of the Ukrainian people to determine their own future.

Such statements were made by over thirty Ukrainian human rights organizations, including the ZMINA Human Rights Center.

The human rights defenders issued this statement after the new administration of U.S. President Donald Trump held talks with the Russian Federation without inviting Ukraine and the EU.

Moreover, following the meeting, a series of statements emerged that shifted the blame for the aggression against Ukraine from the Russian Federation to Ukraine itself. This occurred despite the fact that the violation of international law by Russia has been acknowledged by the majority of countries worldwide, and the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants, including for Russian leader Putin.

“The aggression committed by the Russian Federation has resulted in numerous war crimes, crimes against humanity, and possibly genocide against the Ukrainian people,” remind the human rights defenders.

The signatories of the appeal emphasize that any agreements regarding Ukraine that exclude its participation “have nothing to do with sustainable peace and international security, creating additional security, economic, and other threats for the states that support them.”

At the same time, the human rights defenders remind us that Russia has already violated a significant number of agreements with Ukraine, thus “hopes for a change in its approach and adherence to new agreements are without any basis.” The cessation of hostilities, according to the authors of the appeal, should be based on the principles of international law, including holding those responsible for international crimes accountable.

The authors of the statement specifically addressed reports about the necessity of holding elections before the end of the war, which directly contradicts the Constitution of Ukraine. In this regard, they reminded that “no external force has the right to impose political decisions on Ukraine, especially in the context of ongoing aggression and occupation of part of its territories.”

Ukrainian human rights defenders called for:

• states and other subjects of international law – not to participate in negotiations without Ukraine's direct involvement and to adhere to the principle that “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine”;
• other human rights and international organizations worldwide – to condemn the conduct of such negotiations without Ukraine's participation and to demand accountability for those responsible for international crimes;
• states participating in the ICC – to ensure the execution of arrest warrants for individuals responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly Vladimir Putin;
• governments of UN member states that uphold the UN Charter and are interested in maintaining the principles of international law – to increase support for Ukraine as the only realistic path to ending the war on just terms;
• governments of UN member states that comply with the UN Charter and are interested in maintaining the principles of international law – to increase sanction pressure on Russia, including additional restrictions on companies cooperating with the Russian military-industrial complex.

It is worth noting that over nearly three years of full-scale war, the Russian army in Ukraine has killed more than 12,000 civilians and at least 45,000 military personnel. Last year, due to the use of guided bombs and drones by the Russians, the number of civilian casualties increased by 30%.

Additionally, Russian military forces have dismantled the majority of thermal power and one-third of hydroelectric generation in Ukraine, while Ukrainian investigators consider such attacks as part of genocide. According to the Commission investigating violations in Ukraine, mandated by the UN Human Rights Council, Russian shelling of infrastructure could be considered a crime against humanity.