[ad_1]
The Hague: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky On Thursday he insisted that a special tribunal should be set up to hold Russia accountable for the “crime of aggression”, while it was paying a surprise visit to Holland.
The Ukrainian leader is making a rare first visit to the low country after meeting Nordic leaders a day earlier in Helsinki, and amassing military support ahead of it. KyivAttack on Russia.
“There must be responsibility for this crime. This can only be carried out by the court,” he told diplomats and officials after visiting the International Criminal Court, which has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for a war crime.
“Of course, we all want to see a different Vladimir here in The Hague. The one who deserves to be judged for his criminal actions here in the capital of international law,” Zelensky said.
In his speech, he added that “only one Russian crime gave rise to all these crimes: this is the crime of aggression, the beginning of evil, the primary crime. There must be responsibility for this crime.”
“That is why we insist on creating the court,” an idea Zelensky said is already supported by 39 countries.
Kiev is pushing for the creation of a special tribunal to try Moscow for the crime of aggression because it sees this as a way to achieve faster justice and target top Kremlin officials more easily.
The International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, is currently investigating possible war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the war on Ukraine, but it does not have a mandate to prosecute the broader crime of aggression.
Some of Kyiv’s western supporters said it might be difficult to get broad international support for a one-off court, and say a more feasible approach could be to create a “hybrid” court under Ukrainian law.
But Zelensky rejected the idea of ​​a mixed court.
He said, “(Responsibility) can only be carried out by a court of law which must function in full force to ensure justice, not hybrid promises, not hybrid impunity, but universal justice.”
“Our clear position is … and I have expressed my opinion on this: We will work without any form of a hybrid (court),” Zelensky told reporters after meeting Dutch and Belgian prime ministers Mark Rutte and Alexandre de Croo. .
“This is a matter of principle for us,” he said.
Russia has repeatedly denied any abuses by its forces, but the International Criminal Court wants to prosecute Putin for his illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia since last year’s all-out invasion of Moscow in February.
Zelensky has previously pushed NATO to invite Ukraine to join the alliance, but he said Kiev was “realistic” about not joining while it was still at war with Russia.
“We are realistic and we know that we will not be in NATO during the war,” Zelensky told reporters.
“But we want a very clear message that we will participate in NATO after the war,” he said.
Meanwhile, he urged the Netherlands and other countries to step up support for military and other aid.
“There are so many challenges and difficulties on the battlefield, victory does not depend only on us,” Zelensky said.
“We need dear friends first of all because we are striving for common values,” Zelensky said.
The Netherlands has so far provided or pledged €1.2 billion in military support to Ukraine, in addition to another €2.5 billion in aid for 2023.
This includes tanks, howitzers and missiles, as well as two Patriot missile systems and Stinger missiles, among other weapons, the Dutch Defense Ministry said on its website.
Dutch Prime Minister Rutte added that “intense work” is underway to reach agreement with partner countries to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets, “but it is a sensitive subject.”
De Croo, in turn, promised a new military aid package of about 200 million euros, drawn from frozen Russian assets.
Zelensky is due to visit a military base later on Thursday to see some of the equipment destined for Ukraine.
Dutch officials also confirmed that Zelensky met with King Willem-Alexander, who expressed support for Ukraine shortly after the invasion of Moscow.
The Ukrainian leader is making a rare first visit to the low country after meeting Nordic leaders a day earlier in Helsinki, and amassing military support ahead of it. KyivAttack on Russia.
“There must be responsibility for this crime. This can only be carried out by the court,” he told diplomats and officials after visiting the International Criminal Court, which has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for a war crime.
“Of course, we all want to see a different Vladimir here in The Hague. The one who deserves to be judged for his criminal actions here in the capital of international law,” Zelensky said.
In his speech, he added that “only one Russian crime gave rise to all these crimes: this is the crime of aggression, the beginning of evil, the primary crime. There must be responsibility for this crime.”
“That is why we insist on creating the court,” an idea Zelensky said is already supported by 39 countries.
Kiev is pushing for the creation of a special tribunal to try Moscow for the crime of aggression because it sees this as a way to achieve faster justice and target top Kremlin officials more easily.
The International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, is currently investigating possible war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the war on Ukraine, but it does not have a mandate to prosecute the broader crime of aggression.
Some of Kyiv’s western supporters said it might be difficult to get broad international support for a one-off court, and say a more feasible approach could be to create a “hybrid” court under Ukrainian law.
But Zelensky rejected the idea of ​​a mixed court.
He said, “(Responsibility) can only be carried out by a court of law which must function in full force to ensure justice, not hybrid promises, not hybrid impunity, but universal justice.”
“Our clear position is … and I have expressed my opinion on this: We will work without any form of a hybrid (court),” Zelensky told reporters after meeting Dutch and Belgian prime ministers Mark Rutte and Alexandre de Croo. .
“This is a matter of principle for us,” he said.
Russia has repeatedly denied any abuses by its forces, but the International Criminal Court wants to prosecute Putin for his illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia since last year’s all-out invasion of Moscow in February.
Zelensky has previously pushed NATO to invite Ukraine to join the alliance, but he said Kiev was “realistic” about not joining while it was still at war with Russia.
“We are realistic and we know that we will not be in NATO during the war,” Zelensky told reporters.
“But we want a very clear message that we will participate in NATO after the war,” he said.
Meanwhile, he urged the Netherlands and other countries to step up support for military and other aid.
“There are so many challenges and difficulties on the battlefield, victory does not depend only on us,” Zelensky said.
“We need dear friends first of all because we are striving for common values,” Zelensky said.
The Netherlands has so far provided or pledged €1.2 billion in military support to Ukraine, in addition to another €2.5 billion in aid for 2023.
This includes tanks, howitzers and missiles, as well as two Patriot missile systems and Stinger missiles, among other weapons, the Dutch Defense Ministry said on its website.
Dutch Prime Minister Rutte added that “intense work” is underway to reach agreement with partner countries to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets, “but it is a sensitive subject.”
De Croo, in turn, promised a new military aid package of about 200 million euros, drawn from frozen Russian assets.
Zelensky is due to visit a military base later on Thursday to see some of the equipment destined for Ukraine.
Dutch officials also confirmed that Zelensky met with King Willem-Alexander, who expressed support for Ukraine shortly after the invasion of Moscow.
[ad_2]
