Zelensky announces creation of special court.
President of the European Union Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, met with President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in Kiev on May 9th to mark Europe Day. The two leaders held a joint press conference after the meeting, where they discussed the need for justice regarding war crimes committed against Ukraine. Zelenskiy spoke about the main war that Russia started in 2014, turning it into a full-scale attack in 2022. Speaking out about the crimes committed against Ukraine, Zelenskiy defended the need to reveal the aggressor’s guilt and bring those responsible to justice.
Zelenskiy announced that a special court would be established to investigate war crimes against Ukraine and the establishment of the tribunal would be similar to the Nuremberg International Military Criminal Court that was established just after WWII. He announced that the Russian Criminal Prosecution Center for Aggressive Crimes would begin its work this summer and that the center would start collecting evidence in the Hague. The center aims to develop materials for the court and determine the court model for the crime of Russia’s attack on Ukraine to ensure justice.
Unfortunately, the International Criminal Court does not have jurisdiction over the crime of aggression, so it is necessary to complete the global legal system. However, Ukraine’s partner group for the punishment of aggression has grown to 37 countries, and Zelenskiy hopes to expand it even further. The meeting between Ukraine’s president and the European Union Commission’s president showed their commitment to bringing those responsible for war crimes to justice.
