UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said Sunday that rape, which occurs in Ukraine and other war-torn countries, should be a «red line», as should the use of chemical weapons.
Cleverly recalled in a Sunday Times article his horror at the victims who reported rape in Yemen and Iraq and said it was «heartbreaking» to hear «similar stories» again in Ukraine.
In this sense, he has called these acts «abominable», while indicating that it is necessary that commanders and military involved in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine know that these behaviors are «unacceptable».
«Whether the culprits are Russian soldiers or African militiamen, (they must know that) there can be no impunity and nowhere to hide,» he added.
Cleverly’s remarks come on the eve of the start of the Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) conference in London on Monday and Tuesday.
The British Foreign Secretary met two days ago in Kiev with the President and Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski and Dimitro Kuleba, respectively, from where he announced the delivery of three million pounds (about 3.5 million euros) to the Fund for a Resilient Ukraine.
