Leaders to align Ukraine war crimes cases at Hague meeting

By Anthony Deutsch

THE HAGUE (Reuters) – Ukraine’s top war crimes prosecutor and judicial authorities from across Europe will meet in The Hague on Thursday to coordinate investigations into atrocities since Russia’s invasion nearly five months ago.

The Netherlands hosts the Ukraine Accountability Conference to work out the complex task of evidence sharing, prosecution strategy and providing international war crimes expertise to investigators on the ground.

War crimes have been widespread since Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion, ranging from murder and torture to rape, pillaging and forced deportations, Ukraine and Western leaders have said.

Russia denies involvement in war crimes and says is it conducting a “special military operation” in its fellow ex-Soviet neighbour to protect Russian speakers.

Key participants will be International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan, EU Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova and the Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will address the gathering by video link.

Multiple war crimes investigations are already underway, including by the ICC, Ukraine’s own prosecution service and European countries applying so-called universal jurisdiction that allows them to investigate individuals.

Ukrainian authorities have tried and convicted two Russian soldiers. More widespread cases involving crimes against humanity or even genocide are expected to go to the ICC in The Hague, officials involved in the process have told Reuters.

A main aim of Thursday’s meetings will be eliminating overlap by the various investigating authorities building cases that will be tried in different jurisdictions.

“We need to gather evidence, we have to establish who is responsible for war crimes and we need to bring these people to trial,” German Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann told reporters on Tuesday.

“That will not be easy, it won’t go fast, it will probably take many years. But it is our goal and I am confident that we will succeed.”

(Reporting by Anthony Deutsch and Gabriela Baczynska, Editing by Angus MacSwan)