Over 85,000 war crimes have been registered since start of Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Dutch foreign minister has said.
The revelation came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday visited the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, which in March issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for the suspected deportation of children from Ukraine.
Mr Zelensky said in a speech on Thursday that Putin must be brought to justice for his war in Ukraine.
“We all want to see a different Vladimir here in the Hague, the one who deserves to be sanctioned for his criminal actions here, in the capital of international law,” Mr Zelensky said in a speech, referring to Putin.
“I’m sure we will see that happen when we win,” he said, adding: “Whoever brings war must receive judgement.”
Russia, which is not a member of the ICC and rejects its jurisdiction, denies committing atrocities during its conflict with Ukraine, which it terms a “special military operation”.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in February that an international centre for the prosecution of the crime of aggression in Ukraine would be set up in The Hague.
The ICC can prosecute genocide in Ukraine but has no jurisdiction over alleged crimes of aggression by Russia there.
An act of aggression is defined by the United Nations as the “invasion or attack by the armed forces of a state (on) the territory of another state, or any military occupation”.
Russia has stepped up attacks as Ukraine prepares for a counteroffensive to try to retake Russian-occupied land in the south and east. Russian shelling in the frontline southern region of Kherson killed at least 23 civilians on Wednesday.
In his first official trip to the Netherlands on Thursday, Mr Zelensky also met with Dutch lawmakers and is due to have meetings with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.
