Ukraine acquires new tool for global pursuit of Russian criminals

The global legal system has long demanded the adoption of such a document. 74 years ago, the Genocide Convention and the Geneva Conventions were adopted, and this year marks the 25th anniversary of the Rome Statute, but wars continue to shake the planet.

Some existing multilateral treaties contain provisions on mutual legal assistance and extradition, such as the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the UN Convention against Corruption. The current Ljubljana-Hague Convention is a multilateral treaty that provides mechanisms for interstate cooperation for the investigation and prosecution of the most serious international crimes.

As upsetting as it is, Ukraine will be the first beneficiary of the new Convention. We have already registered more than 70,000 war crimes, and the work to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice is ongoing. This development enables not only the imposition of sentences but also the extradition of war criminals from any corner of the globe.