Foreign Affairs Minister M茅lanie Joly says Canada wants the International Criminal Court to speed up its investigation into Russia for possible war crimes because of its invasion of Ukraine.

Joly announced CanadaB次元官网网址檚 intent in Geneva Tuesday after she and other Western officials walked out in the middle of the address by their Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, at the United Nations Human Rights Council.

On Monday, ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan issued a statement saying he had decided to open an investigation because he found there was a reasonable basis to believe war crimes and alleged crimes against humanity have been committed in Ukraine.

JolyB次元官网网址檚 announcement could speed up the pace of an ICC investigation.

Khan said that because Ukraine is not a party to the Rome Statute that governs the court it B次元官网网址渃annot itself refer the situationB次元官网网址� to his office. He noted Ukraine has accepted the ICCB次元官网网址檚 jurisdiction in the past B次元官网网址渙ver alleged crimes under the Rome Statute occurring on its territory.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淎n alternative route set out in the statute that could further expedite matters would be for an ICC state party to refer the situation to my office, which would allow us to actively and immediately proceed with the officeB次元官网网址檚 independent and objective investigations,B次元官网网址� said Khan.

Canada is a state party and founding member of the ICC and the Rome Statute.

B次元官网网址淭oday also Canada will petition the International Criminal Court of justice against Russia, for crimes against humanity and war crimes. And it was also important for us to show that weB次元官网网址檙e steadfast in terms of our support,B次元官网网址� Joly said Tuesday in Geneva.

Joly said she and her fellow diplomats walked out on Lavrov to send a message to Russia over the invasion.

B次元官网网址淢inister Lavrov was being broadcast and giving his version, which is false about what is happening in Ukraine,B次元官网网址� said Joly.

Lavrov, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, have been sanctioned by Canada and their allies for their role in orchestrating what is described as an illegal attack on a sovereign country.

Joly was leaving Geneva and headed to Poland later Tuesday for meetings with her counterparts there to address the Ukrainian refugee exodus and oversee the delivery of Canadian military aid.

She is expected to travel to PolandB次元官网网址檚 Ukraine border later this week.

B次元官网网址� Mike Blanchfield, The Canadian Press