A tribunal is being created in The Hague against Putin: what is known about the preparation process.

According to ТСН: From the first version of the "peace plan", the point about prohibiting the prosecution of Russian criminals was excluded, despite the attempts of Russian delegates to stop the creation of the tribunal. At the same time, work is ongoing in The Hague to form a Special Tribunal to investigate aggression by high-ranking Russian officials.

Pressure and the threat of amnesty

Statements that the tribunal is "under threat and may never materialize" started appearing in the media after the publication of the so-called "peace plan", which contained provisions for "amnesty" for war crimes.

Over two weeks, the 28-point plan was reduced to 19. However, as stated by the special envoy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Anton Korinievich, work on the tribunal continues.

"The main thing is that we continue to move forward. This is a key aspect, and we are working not alone but together with our international partners," he noted.

International law against amnesty

In Ukraine, over 178,000 war crimes committed by Russia have been recorded, all of which are not subject to amnesty. This is a requirement not only from Ukraine but also from international law.

Human rights activist Olexandra Romantsova explained:

"Regarding international crimes, there is a special provision that they can never be amnestied. Why? Because international crimes include war crimes, episodes of genocide, the crime of aggression, and the very fact of starting a war cannot be amnestied. The crime of aggression as a political decision cannot be amnestied."

Practical steps in The Hague

The Special Tribunal for the investigation of aggression, which will involve all those who gave orders at the highest level, has great historical significance. In June of this year, Ukraine and the Council of Europe signed an agreement for its creation.

Subsequently, practical steps began:

• The European Union allocated €10 million to start the court.

• The Netherlands, where the court will be based, promised to support its activities.

The Ambassador of Ukraine to the Netherlands Andriy Kostin spoke about the preparations:

"Currently, several possible locations for the tribunal are being discussed, including court premises that have already finished their work. This issue is being considered by the Ministry of Justice and Security of the Netherlands."

Establishment of a steering committee

It is currently difficult to determine a clear date for the tribunal's launch, as about 40 countries are involved in the process. The text of the agreement on the steering committee of the tribunal, which will effectively create an assembly of countries that will govern the court, is currently being finalized.

"It is expected that this will happen this month. Other countries will also join the committee. Following consultations with legal advisors from the Baltic countries, the G7, and the European Union, we hope that many countries will participate," Andriy Kostin reported.

Anton Korinievich explained the structure of the committee in detail:

"Each state that signed the agreement will have its representative, and there will be two possible statuses – member, which means full membership in the committee, and associated member. Full members will pay fixed annual contributions, while associated members will contribute voluntarily.

There will be no sustainable peace without punishment

The EU's chief diplomat Kaja Kallas decisively refuted threats to the tribunal's work, emphasizing that without punishment of the aggressor, sustainable peace is impossible.

The attempt by the Russians to include a point about amnesty in the plan is "yet another public acknowledgment of crimes" and evidence that they fear punishment, even personally from Putin, who has already included all those who voted in the PACE for the creation of the tribunal on the sanctions list.

▶ You can watch on the TSN YouTube channel by following this link: TSN 20:00 LIVE! SUMMARY NEWS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12

The formation of the Special Tribunal in The Hague is gaining increasing significance on the international stage. Its establishment in response to numerous war crimes is an important step towards ensuring justice. Additionally, the involvement of international partners and Ukraine's active stance indicate a determined effort to combat impunity. In this context, the tribunal may become a symbol of the resilience of international law.