Ukraine and the Council of Europe signed on Wednesday the creation of a special court to judge the “crime of aggression” by Russiathat is, the invasion of itself of Ukraine ordered from Moscow, something for which the International Criminal Court (ICC) has no jurisdiction.
In one Ceremony in Strasbourg (France), headquarters of the Council of Europe, the president of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski, and the general secretary of the Paneuropea organization, Alain Berset, formalized an agreement that, according to the Ukrainian president, is a “option” option real to do justice to the crime of aggression“.
“All war criminals should know that there will be justice and that includes Russia,” Zelenski stressed in an appearance after the signing of the agreement.
The Ukrainian president, who traveled to Strasbourg after having come to the NATO summit held this day in The Hague (Netherlands), where he met with his American counterpart Donald Trump, indicated that “other institutions, even international, do not have the tools” to judge the invasion itself, something that is according to him indispensable.
“We need to clearly show that aggression carries punishment and we must Do it together throughout Europe“, considered.
For his part, Berset pointed out that “all institutions have a role to play and, for the Council of Europe, that role is that of justice and accountability.”
Just before signature had also highlighted that a “lasting peace for Ukraine And for Europe as a whole “it is not possible without” accountability “, and that the organization based in Strasbourg cannot” look the other way “while European values are questioned.
The so -called Special Court for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine will act under the auspices of the Council of Europe with the mandate to process high leaders for the invasion of Ukraine.
“This crime refers to the decision to use the armed force against another State, in violation of the United Nations Charter,” said the Paneuropea institution, which is dedicated to promoting cooperation, human rights and democratic values in the continent.
The Initiative was launched on May 9 in Leopolis (Ukraine), where about 40 countries signed a statement in which they promised to promote the creation of a special court to judge those responsible for the Russian military invasion.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) currently has no jurisdiction for judge Russia for the decision to launch an invasion in itselfalthough he has issued arrest orders against the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and other leaders for war crimes and human rights violations such as forced deportation of Ukrainian children.
Russia was a member of the Council of Europe, but it was expelled in April 2022 by the invasion of Ukraine and Moscow has ceased all cooperation with both Strasbourg headquarters and its Human Rights Court (ECHR).
