Ukraine Calls for International Justice: Zelensky Urges Establishing a Special Tribunal to Prosecute Russian War Criminals

Ukraine is calling for justice to be served for the crime of aggression against the country and its people.^[0] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made this statement in his video address at the United for Justice conference in Lviv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.^[1]

“We have adopted many laws that enable the International Criminal Court to investigate any crimes within Ukraine, and we support the court in this as much as possible. We are faced with the fact that in the last 70 years, no one in the world has been brought to justice for the crime of aggression. Russia came to Ukraine with aggression back in 2014. They attacked Georgia in 2008. This country sows terror and chaos everywhere. And it was never punished for that,” said Andriy Yermak, Head of the Ukrainian President’s Office.^[2]

Ukraine is now mobilizing support for the Tribunal over Russia's aggression against the country.^[3] Yermak said that they are doing everything to ensure that the International Criminal Court is successful in punishing Russian war criminals.^[1] In addition, it is also proposed that a special tribunal be created on the basis of a multilateral international treaty, which would potentially be open to any state.

The EU had earlier this month promised that an international centre for the prosecution of the crime of aggression headquartered in The Hague would be operational from July onward.^[4] Another option is the treaty-based approach, which would involve setting up a tribunal on the basis of a multilateral international treaty, which would potentially be open to any state. Another possibility is a hybrid arrangement involving a court with Ukrainian law and jurisdiction, as well as an international element.^[5]

Matviichuk, based in Kyiv, often goes to major cities in the west in order to motivate people to fill in “the accountability gap.”^[4] She is in favor of Ukraine's proposal to create a special tribunal to judge Putin and other military and political leaders for the crime of aggression, which cannot be judged in the International Criminal Court in The Hague.^[6] She noted that these were not sporadic acts by particular brigades, but a policy choice made at the highest levels in an attempt to break the will of Ukraine to resist.^[4]

At an International Communities Response for Accountability panel, the head of the Office of the President declared that justice can save the world. He proposed that an international tribunal for aggressors should be established in order to prevent any future global conflict from escalating into a destructive, violent massacre.^[3]

0. “Zelensky Meets with US Attorney General, Prosecutors from Allied Countries to … – Latest Tweet by The” LatestLY, 3 Mar. 2023, https://www.latestly.com/socially/world/zelensky-meets-with-us-attorney-general-prosecutors-from-allied-countries-to-latest-tweet-by-the-kyiv-independent-4908171.html

1. “President Zelensky: We Are Gathering Maximum Support For Tri…” MENAFN.COM, 4 Mar. 2023, https://menafn.com/1105703907/President-Zelensky-We-Are-Gathering-Maximum-Support-For-Tribunal-Over-Russias-Aggression

2. “Ukraine Official, Human Rights Defenders Discuss Creation Of…” MENAFN.COM, 1 Mar. 2023, https://menafn.com/1105679823/Ukraine-Official-Human-Rights-Defenders-Discuss-Creation-Of-Special-Tribunal-For-Russia

3. “International Tribunal For Russia Can Save World From Global…” MENAFN.COM, 4 Mar. 2023, https://menafn.com/1105704333/International-Tribunal-For-Russia-Can-Save-World-From-Global-Slaughter-Yermak

4. “Ukrainian Nobel peace laureate calls for special tribunal to try Putin” The Guardian, 27 Feb. 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/27/ukrainian-nobel-peace-laureate-oleksandra-matviichuk-calls-for-special-tribunal-to-try-vladimir-putin

5. “Calls mount for Russia to face tribunal for aggression against Ukraine” Atlantic Council, 28 Feb. 2023, https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/calls-mount-for-russia-to-face-tribunal-for-aggression-against-ukraine/

6. “Ukrainian Nobel prize winner wants special court to try Putin, soldiers for war crimes” Firstpost, 27 Feb. 2023, https://www.firstpost.com/world/ukrainian-nobel-prize-winner-wants-special-court-to-try-putin-soldiers-for-war-crimes-12215612.html