Putin will not be tried for war crimes while he remains president – Euronews

The special tribunal of the Council of Europe for the Russian crimes against Ukraine will not try Russian leader Vladimir Putin while he remains president. [N.B. Ukrainska Pravda does not recognise Putin as president – ed.]

Source: Euronews, citing two unnamed European officials 

Details: The special tribunal, which Western countries plan to establish in The Hague under the Council of Europe to investigate the Russian crimes against Ukraine, will not be able to try Putin while he is still the president of the Russian Federation.

"The special tribunal that Western nations intend to establish to prosecute the crime of aggression against Ukraine will not try Vladimir Putin in absentia as long as he remains president of the Russian Federation… Alternatively, a trial in absentia could be conducted after Putin leaves office," one of the European officials said.

According to Euronews sources, the same immunity will apply to Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Quote: "The prosecution of these high-level officials will be allowed only if the defendants are physically present in the room – unlikely given Russia does not recognise the invasion of Ukraine as criminal and is firmly opposed to cooperating with the West."

More about the plans to establish the tribunal can be read in the interview with Alain Berset, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe: Tribunal on Russian aggression to start in 2025, no objections from Trump.

Background: 

• The group of states (Core Group) working on the establishment of a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine finalised the technical and legal documents required to launch it under the Council of Europe.
• In late March, The Hague hosted the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on an international treaty to establish the Claims Commission for Ukraine.

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