Ukraine and its partner countries must do everything possible to ensure that every Russian war criminal, including Vladimir Putin, is held accountable for the crime of aggression. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated this during his speech to the representatives of the parliaments of the PACE member states in Strasbourg.
The Head of State thanked the Parliamentary Assembly for supporting Ukraine and for adopting nearly 30 resolutions.
“Your clear political positions calling Russia’s actions a crime of aggression, supporting a just end to the war, and rejecting any attempt to legitimize the Russian occupation of our Ukrainian territories – have helped shape the political response of all of Europe,” the President noted.
The Head of State recalled that it was Europe that once created the mechanisms to bring aggressors and international criminals to justice – including the Nuremberg Tribunal and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
The President noted that it was in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe that the call for the establishment of a tribunal for the crime of Russian aggression was first voiced – and that today, this idea is receiving real support from partner countries in Europe and beyond. Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which backed the decision to create a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
“Now we must take real steps to make it work. And it will take strong political and legal cooperation to make sure every Russian war criminal faces justice. Including Putin. And this is the path we must walk – all the way to real charges and real verdicts,” the Head of State emphasized.
The President stressed that military support for Ukraine, tough sanctions against Russia, and pressure on the aggressor are all important. But justice matters as well – and it must work.
“The Hague is a perfect venue for it. The Hague is waiting for justice to be delivered. Thank you to everyone who is making that happen,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted.
