Latvia’s president calls for setting up special tribunal to probe Russian crimes in Ukraine

Latvian President Egils Levits, who addressed the United Nations General Assembly on September 21, has called for establishing a special tribunal “to investigate the responsibility of the Russian state in the crime of aggression” and creating a mechanism of reparation payments to Ukraine.

That’s according to Ukrinform’s own correspondent in New York.

“Impunity means an invitation to further crimes, therefore, the aggressor must be held accountable,” Levits said, adding that the ICC and ICJ have already started considering cases regarding the separate aspects of Russia’s war on Ukraine, and so has the ECHR.

At the same time, the president of Latvia noted that a legal loophole remained as no international court has jurisdiction as to the main question, which is the unleashing of a war of aggression, a serious violation of the UN Charter and international law.

“Special tribunal could be established on the basis of a resolution of the General Assembly by another international organization or a group of like-minded states,” he suggested.

The president added that after the war, Russia “will have to pay reparations to Ukraine for damages. The special tribunal could be part of an international reparations mechanism.”