Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Crimes of Aggression against Ukraine

Thursday 6 July 2023 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Peter Grant asked about recent discussions on establishing a special tribunal for crimes of aggression against Ukraine.
  • The Minister expressed confidence in holding Russia accountable for its actions in Ukraine and highlighted the referral to the International Criminal Court.
  • The Minister noted that the International Criminal Court lacks jurisdiction over crimes of aggression, but the UK will continue to support the ICC in other ways.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Peter Grant SNP
Justice & Courts Ukraine Foreign Affairs
Context

No specific background provided, but the question arises from ongoing international efforts to hold Russia accountable for its actions in Ukraine.

Question

What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential establishment of a special tribunal on crimes of aggression against Ukraine?

Answer from Victoria Prentis

I am confident that Russia will be held accountable for its appalling actions in Ukraine. We have been at the forefront of international efforts. We have referred Russia to the International Criminal Court, we will intervene on behalf of Ukraine before the International Court of Justice later this year, and we are part of the core group of states working to establish a special tribunal for the crime of aggression.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues was not directly addressed. Instead, general efforts towards accountability were mentioned.

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Q2 Peter Grant SNP
Ukraine
Context

Continuing from previous discussions, the question addresses the lack of jurisdiction for the International Criminal Court over crimes of aggression and the urgency to set up a special tribunal.

Question

The Attorney General will appreciate that the International Criminal Court does not have jurisdiction over crimes of aggression—in effect, the deliberate, violent and unprovoked military incursion into the sovereign territory of another recognised state. Karim Khan, a prosecutor at the ICC, has pointed out that none of the other 93,000 war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine could have happened had it not been for that initial crime of aggression. Will the Attorney General assure us that steps are being taken to set up a special tribunal as quickly as possible, so that Putin and his fellow criminals can be brought to justice before they get the chance to destroy the evidence?

Answer from Victoria Prentis

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his interest in this matter. There are three broad strands to our work on accountability. First, we have provided expert assistance to Ukrainian investigators. Secondly, alongside the international community we will continue to provide the ICC with funding, people and expertise, though I accept that the crime of aggression cannot be prosecuted there. Thirdly, we are exploring other options to hold Russia accountable for the crime of aggression.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about establishing a special tribunal was not directly addressed. Instead, general efforts towards accountability were mentioned.

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How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)