Emmanuel Macron declared on Monday that he is "in favour" of further sanctions against Russia, after hundreds of civilian bodies were discovered in Bucha, in Kyiv Oblast.
"What happened in Bucha imposes a new set of sanctions and very clear measures," the French president told France Inter. "So we will coordinate with our European partners, especially Germany". He added that individual sanctions and measures on coal and oil were on the table.
German chancellor Olaf Scholz called for new sanctions on Sunday. "Terrible and horrific recordings reach us from Ukraine," the chancellor said on Twitter. "Shot civilians, including women, children and the elderly, in Bucha, which until recently was controlled by the Russian army."
Furchtbare und grauenerregende Aufnahmen erreichen uns aus der #Ukraine. Erschossene Zivilisten, darunter Frauen, Kinder und Alte, in #Butscha, das bis vor wenigen Tagen vom russischen Militär kontrolliert worden ist. 1/2
— Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (@Bundeskanzler) April 3, 2022
Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo joined the French and German leaders in condemning the attacks on Monday, saying that "these war crimes cannot stay unpunished."
The horrific images of #Bucha will never fade. The lives lost never forgotten.
These war crimes cannot stay unpunished. Belgium fully supports the @IntlCrimCourt in its important work ahead. — Alexander De Croo 🇧🇪🇪🇺 (@alexanderdecroo) April 4, 2022
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The European Union is urgently discussing new sanctions, particularly following demands from Germany and France, according to EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell.
The death toll in Bucha is uncertain. The Prosecutor General of Ukraine Iryna Venediktova said that 410 civilian bodies were found in the region surrounding Kyiv, which were recently recaptured from Russian forces, according to Belga. Moscow has denied allegations of war crimes.
Since the conflict began on 24 February, the UN has recorded at least 3,455 civilian casualties but believes that the figure is "considerably higher."
