President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Dec. 18 for an international tribunal against “all those” who were part of Russia’s brutal war efforts in Ukraine, stressing that “it is not only about the leadership of the Kremlin.
"The Kremlin and those who help the leadership wage war against Ukraine should be held accountable, which include propagandists and strategists who 'imposed' its ideology on society," Zelensky said during an interview with French TV channels TF1 and LCI.
“We need to introduce an international tribunal, and we would very much like most countries of the world to support this resolution.”
Zelensky last week urged the European Parliament to immediately launch a special tribunal against Russia.
The European Commission on Nov. 30 revealed its plans to set up an UN-backed specialized court to prosecute Russia's crime of aggression, a term which refers specifically to the select few individuals responsible for the decision to invade Ukraine. Making the announcement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement that “Russia must pay for its horrific crimes.”
Ten months into Russia’s full-scale invasion, Moscow is believed to have killed tens of thousands of civilians across Ukraine and caused immeasureable damage to Ukrainian cities. Ukrainian prosecutors say that there are over 54,500 Russian war crimes cases registered nationwide, and at least 450 children have been killed since Feb. 24.
Ukraine has long sought to bring justice to the Russian leadership, including President Vladimir Putin, relying on its Western allies for the prosecution process. There is an ongoing investigation at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
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