Switzerland condemns the attack on the ICRC in Ukraine
On Thursday, Switzerland condemned the attack on a humanitarian camp in the Ukrainian coastal town of Mariupol “in the strongest possible terms”.
This content was published on March 31, 2022 – 15:35
The attack on the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was “a serious violation of international humanitarian law,” said Swiss President Ignazio Cassis on Thursday to journalists who had gathered for an international cooperation summit in Geneva.
“It’s just unacceptable,” as are indiscriminate attacks on civilians, he added.
An ICRC warehouse has been the target of Russian shelling in Mariupol in recent days, despite the building being clearly demarcated with a red cross.
The Swiss-led organization has no more staff in the besieged city.
“We distributed all supplies from the camp in early March,” the ICRC said in a March 30 statement. “This included medical supplies for hospitals and supplies for people living in shelters.”
The ICRC has had to grapple with misunderstandings about its neutral role in the crisis following a visit to Russia by President Peter Maurer.
sanctions justified
Cassis said on Thursday Switzerland’s sanctions against Russia were justified because inaction meant helping “the aggressor”.
Russia launched a full-scale aggression against its neighbor on February 24, the largest attack by one European nation against another since World War II. Europe has taken in more than 4 million Ukrainian refugees because of the crisis.
Switzerland will continue to help Kyiv in the coming years, Cassis said, provided “Ukraine remains an independent country”.
The effects of the conflict “will be felt for decades,” he warned, and will fundamentally change the European approach to security.
For the time being, Switzerland is concentrating its efforts on providing humanitarian aid and seeking a ceasefire.
Cassis promised to work “actively” to ensure the world “gets out of this terrible war” in Ukraine. He emphasized the willingness of the Swiss good offices. “We are ready” to contribute to peace, he said.
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