Kuleba at European Parliament: We must create full-fledged Tribunal for Crime of Aggression against Ukraine

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said this during the conference on accountability for Russia's war against Ukraine at the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday, Ukrinform reports, citing the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's website.

Kuleba noted that one of the main reasons behind Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine is Vladimir Putin's hope that a war of attrition or a frozen conflict will allow Russia and its leadership to avoid responsibility for the crimes they have committed.

"We have already seen how quickly wars can erupt. We are already living in the reality of two simultaneous hot wars in Ukraine and Israel. If we allow Russia to avoid justice for its aggression against Ukraine, the world will be forced to deal with three, four, or five wars at the same time. Simply because there are far too many forces in the world who believe that brutal military force is the best way to achieve their goals. If they see that Russian aggression caused Moscow some trouble, sanctions, and isolation but ultimately paid off, nothing will stop them from repeating Russia’s actions in other parts of the world," Kuleba said.

The minister thanked the European Parliament and its members for their firm and principled stance on the need to punish Russia. He also said he was especially grateful to the International Bar Association and the Ukrainian Bar Association for their resolutions in support of the Special Tribunal's establishment and other important activities.

"Russia is fighting for impunity. Ukraine is fighting for justice. This is one of the many things that makes us different from them. And it is up to all of us—ministers, world leaders, lawyers, experts, and people all over the world—to decide which side they are on," he said.

Kuleba emphasized that the Special Tribunal would also help achieve justice for the fallen Ukrainian service members. According to the minister, punishment for the crime of aggression against Ukraine is an inherent component of full and comprehensive accountability, which is one of the key pillars of President Zelensky's Peace Formula's Point 7, "Restoration of Justice."

"The crime of aggression against Ukraine has been committed. It must be punished. If we let Putin and his associates get away with their crimes, we will condemn our own children to living in a world full of wars and injustice. And this is one of the main reasons why we must put aside all political and legal differences in order to establish a fully functional Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine," he said.