Almost 20 European countries expressed support on Friday for the creation of a special tribunal to try Russian President Vladimir Putin and senior Russian officials for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, reports „Reuters“, reports News.bg.
The meeting was held in Lviv and coincided with celebrations in Moscow on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany.
The foreign ministers of the so-called „core group“ of 37 countries signed the Lviv Declaration, which marks the completion of the technical preparations for the creation of the tribunal. The court is expected to start operating next year under the auspices of the Council of Europe.
“This tribunal will ensure that those most responsible for the aggression against Ukraine are held accountable,“ said EU foreign policy chief Kaia Kalas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called the creation of the court a moral duty and stressed that it should also serve as a deterrent against future aggressors.
According to an EU official, the tribunal will respect the diplomatic immunity of Putin and other Russian officials while they are in office. However, prosecutors will be able to gather evidence and prepare charges for when that immunity expires.
Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel described the initiative as an “important step” that fills a gap in international law regarding the prosecution of state leaders for the crime of aggression.
Since the beginning of the conflict in 2022, Ukraine has been pushing for the establishment of such a tribunal, accusing Russian forces of committing thousands of war crimes. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has already issued an arrest warrant for Putin over the deportation of Ukrainian children, but it does not have the authority to try him for aggression because Russia is not a party to the Rome Statute and Ukraine was not a full member at the time of the invasion.
As Europe steps up diplomatic and legal pressure on Moscow, Britain has announced a new package of sanctions against Russia’s “shadow fleet.” Meanwhile, Western countries are pushing for a 30-day ceasefire. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy has stressed that "freedom will prevail" in Ukraine, just as it did in Europe 80 years ago.