Ursula von der Leyen: We will hold Putin and his henchmen accountable

The International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Assault on Ukraine (ICPA) began its activities in The Hague today, hosted by the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust).

The newly established Center will be the key to investigating the crime of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. It will provide a structure to support and strengthen ongoing and future investigations into the crime of aggression and contribute to the exchange and analysis of evidence gathered since the beginning of the Russian offensive.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to bring unspeakable horror every day. The deeply disturbing news of deliberate attacks on civilians, including children, has become a stark daily reminder of the bloodshed Putin brought back to our continent. Evidence of countless international crimes committed by Russia is being gathered. The new international prosecution centre will play a key role in ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to justice, including the crime of aggression. We will not leave no stone unturned to hold Putin and his henchmen accountable.”

The Centre, established with the support of the Commission, consists of selected national prosecutors already participating in the Joint Investigation Team, with which the Centre is associated in its activities. Participating experts will be able to work together daily, quickly exchange data and agree on a common strategy. Eurojust will provide operational, legal, financial and logistical support, including the storage and analysis of evidence. This is necessary for the preparation of future trials before either national or international courts, including a possible court for the crime of aggression or the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes within its jurisdiction.