German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) urged the thorough processing of Russian war crimes on the fourth anniversary of Bucha’s liberation. Addressing a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Kyiv and Bucha on Tuesday, he said that Bucha “stands as a symbol for countless other Russian war crimes”. He cited the massacres in Irpin, the bombardment of the Kramatorsk railway station, and the siege of Mariupol, stressing that wherever Putin’s Russia goes, “murder and barbarity will follow”.
Wadephul also highlighted that Bucha embodies the strength of the Ukrainian army’s push to recapture large swaths of territory, the resilience and courage of the Ukrainian people, and their right to a future in peace and freedom free from Russian oppression.
“The meeting today sends a clear signal to Russia: those responsible for this war and the accompanying crimes cannot escape punishment-to the victims, their families, and friends” he added. The German government will support Ukraine in gathering evidence and documenting Russian atrocities, noting the country’s role as a founding member of the Compensation Commission. In addition, Germany’s push for a special tribunal on the crime of aggression against Ukraine aims to make legal redress for Russian atrocities a reality alongside its partners.
