European Parliament demands justice for Ukrainian civilian victims

TALLINN - The European Parliament has approved the establishment of the international commission for Ukrainian damage claims and supports the creation of a special tribunal for crimes of aggression against Ukraine.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution strongly condemning Russia's intentional, continuous, and brutal attacks on Ukrainian civilian targets.

In particular, the parliament denounces Russia's systematic attacks on Ukrainian residential areas, energy infrastructure, hospitals, and vital services, and demands that such attacks cease.

Furthermore, the parliament emphasizes that Russia's war of aggression constitutes a brutal violation of international law, and that Russian leaders and their allies must be held accountable for crimes of aggression, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other international crimes.

The parliament supports the creation and swift implementation of a special tribunal for crimes of aggression against Ukraine and urges all EU member states to join it. Additionally, the parliament recognizes the efforts of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, Eurojust, and civil society organizations in investigating violations and human rights abuses and collecting evidence to help bring the perpetrators to justice.

All organizers and enablers must be held accountable

The parliament stresses that everyone who directs or enables the crimes of aggression must be brought to justice, including senior politicians, military officials, court officials, judges of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, and members of the State Duma.

The parliament fully supports the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is investigating war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed in Ukraine, and recalls that under the Rome Statute, member states must arrest and surrender any individuals entering their territory for whom the ICC has issued an arrest warrant.

Furthermore, all accountability mechanisms in Europe must be carefully coordinated to act as effectively as possible, and to avoid duplication of efforts and adverse impacts on victims and witnesses.

More sanctions

The parliament considers the adoption of the 20th sanctions package against Russia highly commendable and emphasizes that no sanctions imposed on Russia should be lifted before the end of peace treaty negotiations and the clear implementation of the agreement.

The European Commission and EU member states should prevent the circumvention of restrictions, and strictly implement and expand sanctions to cover all individuals and entities whose decisions have enabled the commission of war crimes and other serious crimes against the civilian population of Ukraine.

In the plenary session, 446 MEPs voted in favor of the resolution, 63 voted against, and 52 abstained.

International commission for Ukrainian damage claims

In a separate vote, the parliament also approved the establishment of the international commission for Ukrainian damage claims, which aims to ensure compensation for civilian victims of the war. The creation of the commission was supported by 465 MEPs, with 57 against and 47 abstentions.

The new commission is scheduled to be established on May 14 during the 135th session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Chișinău.