President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is convinced that after Ukraine's victory, the Russian president will be tried in The Hague.
He said this in his speech "No peace without justice for Ukraine". He addressed the public, political and expert circles of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and international institutions based in The Hague.
"We know that lasting peace after victory can be achieved through freedom, the rule of law, and full justice. Not a hybrid peace. Not the suspension of hostilities at the front, but real peace," he stressed.
He said that Russia had committed 6,139 war crimes in April alone, killing 207 civilians, including 17 children. More than 400 more civilians were injured in one month - one of the 15 months of full-scale war.
Zelenskyy added that only one Russian crime led to the rest of the crimes - the crime of aggression. "This crime requires an answer, and it can only be achieved through a tribunal. A tribunal like the one in Nuremberg."
"We need to transform the experience of the Nuremberg trials into new operational rules. That is why we are in favour of the creation of such a tribunal," Zelenskyy said, adding that if we want justice, we should not refer to the shortcomings of the current law, but correct them.
Sustainability of peace results from full justice, in particular, in terms of the verdict against the aggressor.
"Sometimes the world is afraid to give full justice. But I want to call on the world: there is no need to be afraid. The aggressor needs to feel responsible... The world must feel completely safe," he said.
The only institution capable of responding to the primary crime of aggression is a tribunal, a tribunal, not something hybrid, not a compromise.
The president called for justice to be served. Zelenskyy stressed that this war should be the last in the world – "and we will do it".
Zelenskyy's visit to the Netherlands was not announced. Yesterday, the head of state was in Finland, and from there he flew to The Hague. In The Hague, Zelenskyy met Senate President Jan Bruijn and House Speaker Vera Bergkamp.