Dmytro Kuleba Calls on International Community to Support Creation of Special Tribunal on Crimes Against Ukraine

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba took part in a joint ministerial event of Ukraine, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany in New York dedicated to bringing the Russian Federation and its citizens, in particular the political and military leadership, to account for crimes committed in Ukraine.

Ukraine’s top diplomat and the partners coordinated steps to investigate and establish the perpetrators of war crimes, crimes of genocide, and crimes against humanity committed by the Russian leadership and the Russian military in Ukraine.

Opening the event, the minister expressed gratitude to International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan for his efforts to establish justice for thousands of Ukrainians tortured by the Russian military.

Kuleba separately emphasised that bringing the Russian military and leadership to international legal responsibility should not be limited to a trial at the International Criminal Court.

“Ukraine will force Russia, its political and military leadership, to bear responsibility for their main crime against the Ukrainian people — the crime of aggression,” the minister said. He called on partners to support the establishment of a special tribunal on the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine emphasised the need to create a comprehensive compensation mechanism for damages caused by Russian aggression against Ukraine.

In this regard, he noted that the Ukrainian side elaborated on a relevant draft resolution of the UN General Assembly, which is scheduled for consideration in October.

As part of the panel discussion, Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin and Deputy Minister of Justice Iryna Mudra also spoke on behalf of Ukraine.

The event was also attended by the foreign ministers of Germany, the United Kingdom, Latvia, Estonia, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, Finland, Albania, Poland, Iceland, Canada, International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten, and human rights activist Amal Clooney.

Natalia Tolub