NOS News • today, 13:33 Agreement on special 'Russia tribunal', possibly in the Netherlands
European Union correspondent
A special 'Russia Tribunal' will be set up to prosecute those responsible for the most serious violent crimes in Ukraine. The Netherlands would like to host the court to be set up. The so-called 'aggression tribunal' is also expected to be on President Putin's wish list.
From Lviv came the message that there is political agreement on what mandate the tribunal should get. In the west of Ukraine, many EU foreign ministers met, as did the British minister. The Netherlands sent the ambassador.
Europe Day The establishment of such a tribunal has been prepared for two years. It is no coincidence that today the clear signal came from Europe and Ukraine that Russian crimes must not go unpunished and that justice is of the utmost importance.
The European Union celebrates 'Europe Day' every year on 9 May, the day of the Schuman Declaration from 1950, which is seen as the basis of European cooperation. Robert Schuman was the French Foreign Minister and said in the declaration: "World peace can only be maintained by the efforts of all positive forces which can protect it from the dangers that threaten it."
Diplomatic counteroffensive Europe Day falls on the same day as the most important holiday in the country from which that danger comes. Russia is celebrating Genoa Day , the day of victory over Nazi Germany, with large military parades today. Putin is not only showing off his military might: it is also a diplomatic offensive. According to the president, the fact that dozens of international leaders are in the stands in the Russian capital for the first time in years shows that he is not as isolated on the world stage as is said.
The country that Putin invaded, Ukraine, then organized a diplomatic counteroffensive. While tanks rolled across Red Square in Moscow, foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas and the newly appointed German foreign minister, among others, went to the cemetery in Lviv. Thousands of dead are buried there and more space has to be made regularly because old fields are full of fallen soldiers.
Then signatures were put under the document showing that there is a political agreement for the establishment of the 'Russia Tribunal'. Next week President Zelensky will formally ask the Council of Europe to establish it. Ukraine has been investigating Russian crimes since the beginning of the large-scale invasion, according to the prosecutor's office there are already more than 150,000.
Prosecute those responsible The tribunal would be able to try suspects in their absence, EU officials said, and would focus on a “top 20” of people responsible for the most serious crimes. Putin and his ministers cannot be prosecuted while they are in office. But former Russian Defense Minister Shoigu, a minister during the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, could be held accountable, according to senior EU officials.
The Hague already has the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is supposed to deal with war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and aggression against another country. But the latter crime, which could include the Russian invasion of Ukraine, is rarely prosecuted. Moreover, Russia does not recognize the ICC.
Not entirely in agreement That is why dozens of countries have been working on the special tribunal in recent times, including all EU countries except Hungary and Slovakia. The US government was also one of the advocates of the new court. But under President Trump, the United States withdrew its support for it last month .
And as much as the EU wants to emphasize that it fully supports Ukraine, the 27 countries are not completely united. Prime Minister Fico of EU member Slovakia is on Red Square in Moscow, as are Serbian President Vucic and the President of the Serbian Republic Dodik, part of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are both EU candidates. Foreign policy chief Kallas yesterday urged the leaders once again not to go. "Those who really support peace cannot stand next to Putin, but should be in Ukraine, not in Moscow."
Earlier she said "that something like that would not be taken lightly" and it was suggested that there would be consequences, but it is unclear what they would be. Fico, Vucic and Dodik certainly did not care. For Putin their arrival is extra important, because it shows Western division.
