Accountability for War Crimes in Ukraine is Prerequisite for Peace

Accountability for war crimes in Ukraine is essential for peace to return to Ukraine and everyone responsible should be held accountable, including russian president putin, observed President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, reported Ukrinform.

According to Ukrainian government sources as well as the United Nations and other global agencies, russia has perpetrated war crimes in Ukraine since its war began 12 months ago. The United States, among other countries, also believes russia is guilty of crimes against humanity, a higher level of heinous international illegalities. The list of crimes perpetrated by russian regulars as well as cutthroats in russian uniforms is long and shocking by any standards, and includes murder and rape of unarmed civilians and children as well as the destruction of living quarters and infrastructures.

Metsola said at a briefing in Lviv on Saturday morning, March 4, that when peace in Ukraine is discussed, accountability for russian war crimes must be part of the discussion. She believes that whoever is responsible for these crimes must pay. This means that if a jurisdiction for the crime of aggression is found, then a find legal means to implement it must be found, she said.

Metsola noted that during the meeting with Prosecutor General of Ukraine Andriy Kostin, she saw significant progress in the creation of the tribunal and very good proposals.

She said they would also meet with UN officials to make sure a mechanism is in place to collect evidence first and then prosecute. “We understand that in order to hold accountable for the crime of aggression, a Special Tribunal must be created,” she emphasized.

According to Metsola, it’s no longer a question of how to do it, but a question of when. She noted that all those responsible for the crimes should be held accountable, including putin, because without this peace would not return.

“And this is the fundamental reason why I am here today,” she added.

Ukraine President Zelenskyy has pledged that his country will further strengthen its relationship with the International Criminal Court.

“Russian President Vladimir Putin and all his accomplices must receive lawful and fair sentences,” Zelenskyy said, adding that Kyiv has registered more than 70,000 russian war crimes committed in Ukraine, reported EuroNews.

This position must be carved in stone by all free world countries and international organizations seeking peace in Ukraine.

While in Lviv, Metsola met with Zelenskyy and promised him that cooperation between Kyiv and the EU parliament would “only grow stronger.” She expressed hope that Ukraine would be allowed to begin European Union membership negotiations this year. Brussels granted Kyiv formal candidate status in June of last year. It had applied just days after russia launched its full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, but the matter has evaporated since then.

In a Twitter post, Metsola praised Ukrainians as the “brave people who inspired the world” … “who sacrificed everything for our values.”

Zelenskyy also took to social media to thank Metsola for her “leadership in supporting Ukraine from the start of the war.”