Discuss War Crimes In Ukraine: International Criminal Court Prosecutors And UN Representatives Hold Meetings In Netherlands Today

The bodies of civilians suspected of being victims of war crimes in Bucha, Ukrana. (Wikimedia Commons/npu.gov.ua/National Police of Ukraine)

JAKARTA - Ukrainian war crimes prosecutors and judicial authorities from across Europe will meet in The Hague, Netherlands on Thursday to coordinate investigations into atrocities since Russia's invasion nearly five months ago.

The Netherlands is hosting the Ukraine Accountability Conference to complete the complex task of sharing evidence, prosecuting strategies, and providing investigators with international war crimes expertise on the ground.

The main participants were International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan, European Union Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders, Ukrainian Attorney General Iryna Venediktova, and the UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will address the meeting via video link.

Various war crimes investigations are underway, including by the ICC, Ukraine's own prosecution service, and European countries applying so-called universal jurisdiction which allows them to investigate individuals.

Ukrainian authorities have tried and convicted two Russian soldiers. More extensive cases involving crimes against humanity or even genocide are expected to be brought before the ICC in The Hague, officials involved in the process told Reuters.

The main aim of today's meeting will be to eliminate overlapping by different investigative authorities establishing cases to be tried in different jurisdictions.

"We need to collect evidence, we need to establish who is responsible for war crimes and we need to bring these people to justice," German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann told reporters on Tuesday.

"It will not be easy, it will not go fast, it will probably take years. But that is our goal and I am sure we will succeed."

War crimes have spread since Russia's February 24 invasion, from murder and torture to rape, looting, and forced deportation, Ukrainian and Western leaders say.

Meanwhile, Russia denies any involvement in war crimes and says it is carrying out "special military operations" in its former neighbors to protect Russian-speaking Russians.