EU agrees to help Ukraine create international tribunal for Russian leaders

The EU reached unanimity concerning the need to create a prosecution mechanism for the crime of aggression of the Russian leadership, but gave no approval concerning the creation of a separate tribunal in Hague so far.

Source: Final document of the Ukraine-EU Summit, its translation published by European Pravda

Specifically, the EU emphasised the importance of prosecuting Russians for the crimes they committed in Ukraine.

"We stressed that war crimes and the other most serious crimes committed during Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine of which there is growing evidence, are a gross violation of international law. We underlined our support for the investigations by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. Russia, and all perpetrators and accomplices, will be held to account," it is stated in the joint decree signed by the presidents of Ukraine, the European Commission and the European Council.

The contents of this document were approved by all the EU member states. Another important fact is that they separately approved the international criminal prosecution for committing the crime of aggression.

"We agreed to continue working together to ensure full accountability, including by establishing an appropriate mechanism for the crime of aggression, the prosecution of which is of interest to the international community as a whole," it is stated in the document.

The crime of aggression is of special significance because it is the top military and political leadership of Russia which is responsible for committing it. Ukraine stressed that it prefers the creation of a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression, but this statement remained one-sided. The EU explains that at the moment there is no unanimity concerning the details of the creation of such a tribunal.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!