‘World must see that no one is above justice’

The International Criminal Court obtained pledges of financial and technical aid from over 40 countries to investigate crimes in Ukraine, three days after it issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan urged countries to find “the stamina to deliver on justice,” at the London meeting to discuss boosting support for ICC probes into the war in Ukraine.

The ICC had issued arrest warrants for Putin and his Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova.

They are accused of the war crime of “illegal deportation” of Ukrainian children following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“Given the indictment of President Putin on Friday, it was very important … to show our practical support to the ICC,” British justice minister Dominic Raab told the gathering.

“We raised over four million pounds and a range of non-financial support and technical support,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky added in a video message: “The world must see that no one is above justice.”

Moscow responded Monday by announcing it had opened its own criminal inquiry into Khan and several ICC judges, branding the warrants “unlawful.”

ICC chief prosecutor Khan told the London conference that the court’s investigation into the treatment of Ukrainian children was apolitical, independent and one of “the hallmarks of my office.”