U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland met virtually Wednesday with Ukraine’s Prosecutor General, Iryna Venediktova, together with the Attorneys General of the Five Eyes countries: the United Kingdom’s Attorney General, Suella Braverman; Australia’s Attorney General, Michaelia Cash; Canada’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General, David Lametti; and New Zealand’s Attorney General, David Parker.
The leaders received an update from Prosecutor General Venediktova, affirmed their solidarity with the Ukrainian people, and discussed their coordinated efforts to hold accountable individuals whose criminal actions are enabling war crimes in Ukraine. They committed to continued close consultation and coordination.
“America, and the world, are watching very closely what is happening in Ukraine. Every day, we see the heartbreaking images and read the horrific accounts of brutality,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “But there is no hiding place for war criminals. The Justice Department has a long history of holding accountable those who perpetrate war crimes. Our commitment to working with our international partners, including Ukraine’s Prosecutor General, to investigate and prosecute those responsible for atrocities in Ukraine remains steadfast. We will be relentless in our efforts to bring to justice those who facilitate the death and destruction we are witnessing in Ukraine.”
In the meeting, Attorney General Garland underscored America’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia’s brutal aggression. He highlighted how the United States is continuing to surge security, humanitarian, economic, and legal assistance to Ukraine. He updated Prosecutor General Venediktova and Five Eyes partners on the actions the Justice Department is taking in coordination with international partners to further raise the costs on Russia, including through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture. Attorney General Garland also discussed the $33 billion supplemental budget request to support Ukraine and package of legislative proposals that President Biden sent to Congress on April 28, which would enhance the Justice Department’s ability to hold the Kremlin and Russian oligarchs accountable for the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
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