Lithuanian president to meet with PM, president of ICC during Dutch visit

VILNIUS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda will travel to the Netherlands at the end of this week and is scheduled to meet with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, International Criminal Court President Piotr Hofmannski and ICC Prosecutor Karim A. A. Khan.

During the two-day visit on Sunday and Monday, the Lithuanian leader will also meet with Eurojust Vice President Margarita Sniutyte-Daugeliene, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, and members of the local the Lithuanian community.

The meetings will focus on defense and security issues, preparations for the forthcoming NATO summit in Vilnius in July, support for Ukraine and Russia's responsibility for war crimes.

Moreover, bilateral cooperation between Lithuania and the Netherlands will also be discussed.

Both the UN Human Rights Committee and the ICC in The Hague are investigating alleged war crimes in Ukraine.

Ukraine, Lithuania and other countries in the region are also seeking the establishment of a special tribunal to investigate Russia's crimes of aggression and bring the Kremlin leaders to justice.

Last month, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children after Russia invaded Ukraine in February, 2022.

The Hague-based court also issued an arrest warrant for Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's federal children's rights commissioner, on similar charges.