In Brussels, Ukraine seeks backing for special war crimes tribunal

Two young girls are seen seated in a square facing destroyed buildings during Russia's invasion in Ukraine. This is in Borodianka in Kyiv, Ukraine.

The Ukrainian government sought political support in Brussels Monday (5 September) for the creation a special tribunal to bring charges against Russian political and military leaders.

A number of Ukrainian leaders attended a conference in Brussels on war crimes accountability. They argued for a court to prosecute high-ranking Russian criminals in addition to the International Criminal Court.

Although the Hague-based ICC began its own investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity days after Moscow invaded, it doesn't have jurisdiction to prosecute aggression in Ukraine.

"Ukraine has been in preparation for the creation an international special tribunal that will try all top leaders of Russia for their military aggression against our country," stated Andriy Yarmak, head Cabinet for Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zeleskiy.

Although it was not clear where such a tribunal would be found, Yermak suggested that it be a treaty-based entity which would allow suspects to be tried in absentia. If they visit a signatory country, they could be held in detention.

Moscow denies Western nations and Kyiv's allegations of war crimes. According to the Kremlin, it conducted a "special military operations" in order to demilitarize its neighbor.

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Roberta Metsola was the president of the European Parliament. She stated Monday that the body will "continue to be one the biggest supporters of setting up a special tribunal international" to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko accountable.

Andriy KOSTIN, Ukraine's new prosecutor general, stated that "the ICC can not investigate this crime because of legal constraints, but we cannot leave it unpunished." The creation of an international special tribunal...is a key issue for Ukraine.

The United Nations defines an act of aggression as "invasion by or attack by the armed forces of a state of the territory of another state, or any military occupation".

Despite international law recognizing the crime, there is no court or tribunal in Ukraine that can handle it.