Following the meeting of the Core Group on the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression in Brussels, significant progress has been made in bringing to justice those responsible for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.
The Ukrainian delegation was headed by Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Iryna Mudra, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the Ministry of Justice.
During the joint press conference, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Iryna Mudra, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law Michael McGrath, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Bersetand EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas unanimously noted an important step forward towards the establishment of the Special Tribunal and announced that the Core Group had identified key elements of the "Draft Schuman Statute" - the main legal document of the Tribunal.
"This is not just about Ukraine. It is about global justice and the message we send to the world. That is why we want the Special Tribunal to be successful, and why we ask those who are interested in saving the world order to join us in serving justice. Once we launch the Tribunal, we will prove that we are serious about enforcing peace and international law, that the perpetrators of the crime of aggression will be punished, and justice will be served for the victims," said Iryna Mudra.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said: "When Russia chose to roll its tanks over Ukraine’s borders, breaking the UN Charter, it committed one of the gravest violations: The Crime of Aggression. Now, justice is coming. Justice for Ukraine. We have laid down the legal foundations for a Special Tribunal" she said.
Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset called the results of today's meeting a progress that will be felt by future generations of Ukrainians.
Ensuring accountability for the crime of aggression against Ukraine is a matter of fundamental importance for Ukraine and its people. This meeting has once again confirmed that Ukraine has the reliable support of its Core Group partners.