Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Thursday from The Hague for the creation of a special international tribunal for the crime of aggression, calling for "large-scale justice" and not "hybrid impunity".
'There should be accountability' for this crime of aggression, the 'beginning of evil', Zelensky says in speech to diplomats and other officials in The Hague, referring to invasion of his country by Russia.
"It can only be applied by the court," added the Ukrainian president.
But Ukraine "will not accept either a hybrid peace or a hybrid court", envisaged by other allies of Ukraine, he stressed, however.
The United States notably declared itself in March in favor of the creation of a special tribunal to judge Russian "aggression" in Ukraine, with international funds and personnel but "rooted in the Ukrainian judicial system".
Mr. Zelensky also said he was convinced that Vladimir Putin would be "convicted" in The Hague, a city where many international courts sit, including the International Criminal Court (ICC). "We will see this happen when we win, and we will win," he said.
Mr Zelensky had earlier met with officials from the ICC, which was established in 2002 to try the world's worst atrocities.
The court issued an arrest warrant in March against Russian President Vladimir Putin for the war crime of "illegal deportation" of Ukrainian children in the context of the conflict.
But the court does not have the power to judge crimes of aggression against Russia, which is not a signatory to the Rome Statute.
Mr. Zelensky, who also visited Helsinki on Wednesday, said he wanted to solve - through these visits - the problem of "weapons shortage" of his troops, and to push for the integration of Ukraine into the European Union and NATO.
Ukraine is "realistic", "we will not join NATO during the war", he nevertheless acknowledged after a meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Belgian head of government Alexander De Croo.
But "we want to receive a very clear message indicating that we will be in NATO after the war", he added during a press conference alongside the two heads of state.
"We hope that the Netherlands and our other partners will help as soon as possible," said Mr. Zelensky, referring to a "coalition of armed vehicles", one of Ukraine's immediate demands. of battle.
The Netherlands has so far given or pledged €1.2 billion in military support to Ukraine.
This included 45 T-72 tanks, armored personnel carriers and at least 100 Leopard 1 tanks, with Denmark and Germany, as well as 14 Leopard 2 tanks with Denmark.
"We support Ukraine's ambition in NATO," added Mr Rutte, indicating that EU accession required following a "clear process" dependent on Brussels.
Mr Zelensky is also due to visit a Dutch military base later on Thursday.
04/05/2023 16:30:55 - The Hague (AFP) - © 2023 AFP
