Фото: МИД РФ
Russia intends to intervene as a third party in the proceedings between Lithuania and Belarus before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning the alleged smuggling of migrants. Russia’s declaration has been submitted to the court, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
“Russia’s intervention in these proceedings is intended to contribute to the correct and good-faith interpretation of the Convention and the Protocol, in strict accordance with their provisions and the rules of general international law.
Attempts to distort the content of international treaties in order to wage ‘lawfare’ against geopolitical opponents undermine the foundations of international law and lead to the politicization of international judicial bodies.”, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Russia exercised its right under Article 63 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice as a state party to the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants.
The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that this is the first time Russia has sought to intervene in international judicial proceedings as a third party.
“This is driven by a good-faith intention to preserve the consistent and proper interpretation of the international treaties involved, prevent unjustifiably broad interpretations that undermine their effectiveness, and thereby strengthen their legal framework. We are convinced that this is in the interests of the entire system of international justice.”, the ministry said.
Lithuania filed a case against Belarus at the International Court of Justice in May 2025, seeking to hold the Belarusian authorities accountable for orchestrating the migration crisis. The court is currently considering questions of jurisdiction and the admissibility of Lithuania’s application.