21 May 2020, Thursday, 18:41 159

Zelenskyy Authorizes Deputy Foreign Minister Yenin To Represent Ukraine In Case Against Russia At International Court Of Justice

Даша Зубкова

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has authorized Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Yevhen Yenin to represent Ukraine in cases against Russia at the United Nations Organization’s international court and arbitration tribunals.

This is stated in the presidential decree No. 323 dated May 21, the Ukrainian News Agency reports.

Ambassador to the Netherlands Vsevolod Chentsov is authorized to represent the country in cases against Russia as a deputy agent of Ukraine.

The United Nations’ International Court of Justice has been considering Ukraine’s terrorism financing and racial discrimination case against Russia since March 2017.

Arbitration tribunals are considering Ukraine’s lawsuit against Russia for violating the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea’s provisions on the rights of the country in the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, and the Kerch Strait, as well as the detention of Ukrainian naval vessels and their crewmembers.

The United Nations Arbitration Tribunal confirmed its jurisdiction in this case on February 20, 2020.

Ukraine was represented in these cases by former Deputy Foreign Minister Olena Zerkal, who currently heads the Naftogaz of Ukraine national joint-stock company’s defense team in disputes with Russia and the Gazprom gas company (Russia).

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, Russia must submit its counterarguments in Ukraine’s lawsuit against terrorist financing and racial discrimination to the United Nations’ International Court of Justice before December 8, 2020.

After that, the court will hold an oral hearing on the merits of the case and make a decision.

If Ukraine wins, the court will be able to consider the issue of compensation for damages caused by Russia.