Kostin, ICPA prosecutors define key priorities for bringing Putin to justice

The press service of the Prosecutor General's Office reported this on its Telegram channel, according to Ukrinform.

Kostin held the first working meeting with Ukrainian prosecutors at the International Center for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (ICPA) in The Hague.

They defined the scope of work and key priorities. The strategic goal is the accountability of Russia’s political and military leadership, according to the report.

"This is history in the making: we're laying the groundwork for the future tribunal," Kostin stressed.

ICPA started work on July 3 at Eurojust's premises in The Hague. According to the Prosecutor General, the ICPA is a unique judicial center integrated into Eurojust to facilitate national investigations of the crime of aggression related to the war in Ukraine. Thanks to the ICPA, independent prosecutors from different countries will be able to collaborate in a single place on a daily basis, quickly and efficiently share evidence and agree on a joint investigation and prosecution strategy.

The ICPA will facilitate the effective preparation of cases and will participate in any future prosecution for the crime of aggression, regardless of the jurisdiction to which the case will be submitted, the Prosecutor General noted.

ICPA participants will receive individual operational, technical, logistical and financial support from Eurojust. The Core International Crimes Evidence Database (CICED), managed by Eurojust, will play a key role in facilitating ICPA activities.

In addition to Ukraine, five members of the Joint Investigative Team (JIT) - Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland and Romania - are participating in the initial phase of ICPA work. Following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the JIT participants, the United States appointed a Special Prosecutor for the Crime of Aggression to facilitate ICPA activities.

In the coming months, other countries and organizations, including the International Criminal Court and the EU Advisory Mission Ukraine, will join the participants of the ICPA center. Countries that have information or evidence relevant to the investigation into the crime of aggression against Ukraine may also request their participation.

As reported by Ukrinform, 20 prosecutors from different countries will work at the International Center for Prosecution for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.

Photo: Prosecutor General’s Office