A collapsed bridge over the SiverskyiDonets river, in the recently retaken Ukrainian village of Bogorodychne. Photo Credit: AP
The government announced Saturday that the U.K. would host a meeting of justice minsters in March to discuss ways of supporting the International Criminal Court’s investigation into alleged crimes in Ukraine.
The ICC based out of The Hague is currently conducting an investigation into war crimes in Ukraine and crimes against humanity in Ukraine.
Karim Khan, the ICC prosecution attorney, will be attending the March meeting with ministers representing around the world. London stated.
In December, Khan urged the international world to fund the ICC probe and stated that: “We have to have the tools for the job.” We don’t have these tools.
According to the U.K., the meeting will “increase the international financial and practical support for the ICC and coordinate efforts in order to ensure that it is equipped with all the necessary resources to carry out investigations into and prosecute those responsible”.
Dominic Raab, Deputy Prime Minister, will be co-hosting the meeting. He stated that the participants will discuss ways to gather information and evidence about atrocities, as well as how they can support victims.
“Russian forces need to know they can’t act with impunity. We will support Ukraine until justice has been served,” Mr. Raab declared.
He stressed that “the international community must give its full support to the ICC in order for war criminals to be held responsible for the atrocities witnessed.”
Dutch Justice Minister Dilan Jailgoz Zegerius, co-host of this meeting, stated that participants would “coordinate and work with our partners to ensure support is provided to the ICC as well as the Ukrainian authorities”.
Ursula von der Leyen was president of European Commission in December. She stated that Russia, a nonmember, could not be tried for “leadership” crimes of aggression by the ICC without a United Nations Security Council resolution. Moscow would immediately veto.
Instead, she suggested a U.N.-backed Special Court to prosecute Russia’s leadership for “crime of Aggression” in relation to its invasion Ukraine.
Josep Borrell, EU foreign policy chief, said last month Russia’s massive missile strikes on Ukraine that targeted civilian infrastructure “constitute war crime and are barbaric.” All those responsible must be held responsible.