Justice ministers meet to discuss support for ICC’s Ukraine investigation

Justice ministers from around the world will gather in London to support the International Criminal Court’s investigations into war crimes in Ukraine.

The move comes after the ICC issued a warrant for Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s arrest, accusing him of bearing personal responsibility for the abduction of children from Ukraine.

The UK is boosting its financial support for the court, based in The Hague in the Netherlands, to £1 million this year and other countries are also expected to commit to financial and practical assistance.

More than 40 nations will be represented at the meeting hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, and Dutch justice minister Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius, at Lancaster House.

Justice Secretary Mr Raab said: “We are gathering in London today united by one cause to hold war criminals to account for the atrocities committed in Ukraine during this unjust, unprovoked and unlawful invasion.

“The UK, alongside the international community, will continue to provide the International Criminal Court with the funding, people and expertise to ensure justice is served.”

Ahead of the conference, the UK Government offered new support and funding for psychological help for victims and witnesses of crimes, more UK experts to work for the ICC and training for investigators to use digital evidence to bring war criminals to justice.

The conference will be opened with speeches from Ukraine’s justice minister Denys Maliuska, and prosecutor general Andriy Kostin, along with the ICC’s prosecutor Karim Khan KC.

The ICC’s arrest warrant for Mr Putin was the first issued against a leader of one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

The court also issued a warrant for the arrest of Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights.

The Kremlin dismissed the move against Mr Putin as “outrageous and unacceptable”.