“It is appalling what is happening today in the heart of Europe”reacted on Sunday April 24 on franceinfo Jean-Maurice Ripert, former French ambassador to Russia, while the human toll of the Russian invasion in Ukraine is increasing, the day after strikes which left at least eight people dead, including a baby in Odessa. “We see what we could expect, the Russian army is fighting like an army of yesteryear, a Soviet army which applies the strategy of terror, it kills, its mercenaries rape, loot, children die”he lamented.
“The Prosecutor General of Ukraine opened more than 7,500 investigation files and collected more than 11,000 testimonies”specified Jean-Maurice Ripert, convinced that the “Justice takes time but justice will pass”. For the former French ambassador to Russia, it is “important” to send the message to “all apprentice dictators, those who are tempted by outside military adventures” : “They must know that from now on they will not escape the questioning of their personal responsibility.” For this, he said he was in favor of Europe helping the International Criminal Court (ICC) “by giving him more means”.
Vladimir Putin must be held accountable, “it is obvious”estimated Jean-Maurice Ripert, considering “that the dictators must pay”.
“It is Vladimir Putin who refuses to negotiate and set up humanitarian corridors to save the last civilians of Mariupol.”
Jean-Maurice Ripertat franceinfo
Asked about the prospects for an end to the conflict, the former French ambassador to Russia is now convinced that he “don’t believe in anything that comes from Moscow”. Furthermore, he considered that “Putin has completely failed”. “Ukraine, today, exists more than ever (…) it has even consolidated European unity and it will have to be content with consolidating its capture of Donbass and seeking territorial continuity between Russia and Crimea which it has already illegally annexed”analyzed Jean-Maurice Ripert without being certain “that it will stop there”.