Visit from Members of Ukrainian Parliament

I attended a meeting with Parliamentarians from Ukraine on 14 March 2023. The meeting was chaired by John Howell MP (Henley) under the auspices of the Council of Europe. We discussed possible crimes of aggression by Russia.

I have tabled two Written Parliamentary Questions to the Attorney General to obtain further information on the Special Tribunal in Ukraine and War Crimes and what help Ukraine needs as this was stressed at the meeting.

Q1:
‘To ask the Attorney General, what progress has been made on setting up a Special Tribunal on Ukraine.’

The Minister responded: 
‘On 20 January 2023, the Foreign Secretary announced that the UK will play a leading role in a core group of likeminded partners to pursue criminal accountability for Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Alongside other international partners invited by Ukraine, the UK will shape thinking on how to ensure criminal accountability for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The first meeting of the core group took place in Prague on 26 January 2023. On 4 March 2023 at the United for Justice conference in Lviv, it was announced that an International Centre for the Prosecution of Crimes of Aggression against Ukraine will be established in The Hague, within the structure of Eurojust’s Joint Investigation Team for Ukraine. I was delighted to represent the UK at that conference: this government stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine in its search for justice.’

Q2:
‘To ask the Attorney General, what assessment she has made of the ability of Ukraine and its international partners to (a) gather and (b) analyse evidence of Russian war crimes for the Special Tribunal in Ukraine.’

The Minister responded:
‘On 20 January 2023, the Foreign Secretary announced that the UK will play a leading role in a core group of likeminded partners to pursue criminal accountability for Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Alongside other international partners invited by Ukraine, the UK will shape thinking on how to ensure criminal accountability for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. An investigation into the Crime of Aggression by any new tribunal could complement established mechanisms investigating war crimes, including the International Criminal Court and Ukraine’s domestic investigations and prosecutions. In joining this additional core group focused on Crimes of Aggression, the UK will complement its support on those other mechanisms in pursuit of accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide. Investigations for those international crimes are well underway, supported by UK initiatives such as the UK-US-EU Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group, and judicial training by Sir Howard Morrison KC and Uk-based Advocates for International Development. On 4 March 2023, it was announced that an International Centre for the Prosecution of Crimes of Aggression against Ukraine will be established in The Hague, within the structure of Eurojust’s Joint Investigation Team for Ukraine.’

It is vital to obtain as much evidence now as it happens so that the Ukrainian people can be reassured that crimes of aggression will be investigated.