The UK will “consider” backing a tribunal on Russian war crimes in Ukraine after Volodymyr Zelensky urged nations to support the idea. It comes after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for Vladimir Putin’s arrest, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abduction of children from Ukraine.
The suggested tribunal would effectively be a court trial examining who gave the orders for war crimes – but also acting as a prosecution of Russia itself for the invasion.
Concluding a meeting of 40 justice ministers at Lancaster House, London, in support of the ICC, Mr Zelensky, in a pre-recorded message, urged delegates to back a probe into Russian “aggression”.
The Ukraine leader added: “This will significantly stress international justice.”
Asked about the prospect of a tribunal, Deputy PM Dominic Raab said: “We’ll keep working together to consider it.
“Right now the priority of this conference has been to give the ICC support.
“Discussions are still in a relatively preliminary stage. We understand the importance of it to the people of Ukraine and President Zelensky. We want to support them as best we can.”
Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said his office has already had 72,000 allegations of Russian war crimes.
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said Western allies must have “stamina” to deliver justice for the invaded nation.
The arrest warrant for Putin is the first time the court has issued one against a leader of one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. Mr Kostin spoke of ruthless attacks and atrocities by Moscow’s soldiers on civilians.
He said: “Russia acts with a clear plan to destroy Ukraine and Ukrainian identity with the deportation of thousands of children, including from orphanages and care homes to Russia.
“Simplifying their illegal adoption process and confirming their citizenship of an aggressive state is very clear evidence of this plan. This is done to cut ties with Ukraine and alter their heritage.”
Ukraine Justice Minister Denys Maliuska said: “The country was semi-destroyed by Russian soldiers. Those damages should be compensated.”
The UK is boosting its financial support for the ICC, based in The Hague in the Netherlands, to £1million this year and other countries are also expected to commit to financial and practical assistance.
The ICC’s Mr Khan said: “This is a moment of crisis. It is very sad that for the first time judges of the ICC have felt it necessary to issue a warrant against a leader and senior state officials of a permanent member of the UN security council.”
The Kremlin dismissed the move against Mr Putin as “outrageous and unacceptable.” Russia does not recognise the ICC – and neither does the US as it goes against its constitution.