"Like the Nazis"... Proposal for Establishing Putin War Crimes Tribunal Circulated at the UN

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] The Guardian reported on the 4th (local time) that the United Nations is circulating a proposal to establish a special war crimes tribunal similar to the Nuremberg Trials held after World War II to prosecute Nazi war criminals, aimed at condemning Russia's war crimes.

This proposal, put forward by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, advocates for the establishment of a special war crimes tribunal, rather than the permanent International Criminal Court (ICC), to try Russian leaders including President Vladimir Putin.

The ICC, headquartered in The Hague, has already launched an investigation into war crimes committed by Russia. While the ICC can indict and try Russian President Vladimir Putin personally, it lacks jurisdiction because Russia is not a party to the Rome Statute, and the likelihood of punishment is slim.

Accordingly, President Zelensky is calling for the establishment of a separate tribunal to adjudicate the charges against war criminals once the ICC investigation results are released. He cited the Nuremberg Trials, established after World War II to prosecute Nazi war criminals, as a model.

The European Union (EU) has expressed support for the special war crimes tribunal, but the United States and the United Kingdom have not yet taken a clear stance, according to The Guardian. Opponents argue that such a move could undermine the ICC's authority and cause diplomatic divisions. Considering the reality of international law, where power politics often prevail over domestic law, experts point out that the U.S. willingness is key to establishing the special war crimes tribunal.

Even Olena Zelenska, wife of President Zelensky, has appealed for the establishment of a special tribunal to hold Russia accountable for its crimes of aggression against Ukraine. In a speech to the UK Parliament in London at the end of last month, she said, "Judicial prosecution of Russian war criminals, similar to the atrocities committed by Nazi Germany in 1942, is necessary," and added, "For this, the global community needs to unite."

The EU estimates the damage caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine to be around 600 billion euros (approximately 823 trillion won). It is discussing ways to use Russian assets frozen under EU sanctions to compensate for Ukraine's damages and cover national reconstruction costs. Currently, 300 billion euros of the Russian central bank's foreign exchange reserves and 19 billion euros of oligarchs' funds are frozen under EU sanctions.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, over 20,000 civilians have died, and the number of war crimes cases is estimated to be at least 26,000.