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EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv
Photo: Efrem Lukatsky/AP
Almost a year ago, Russia invaded Ukraine in violation of international law.
How long the war will last is uncertain.
In any case, Russia should one day be held accountable, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made it clear during a visit to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.
In order for this to succeed, a center for evidence will be set up in The Hague.
Prosecutors from Ukraine and the European Union are already collecting evidence.
According to von der Leyen, the new international center in the Netherlands should coordinate this work.
It will be integrated into an investigation team that investigates war crimes and crimes against humanity, among other things, and is supported by the EU judicial authority Eurojust.
Hold Russia accountable "for its heinous crimes."
"Russia must be held accountable for its heinous crimes in court," von der Leyen said.
"This is a struggle of democracies against authoritarian regimes." Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to deny the country's existence, but is instead risking Russia's future.
Von der Leyen attested to Ukraine's "legendary bravery".
During her visit to Kyiv, the EU Commission President also announced new sanctions against Russia.
By February 24, the first anniversary of the Russian invasion, "we want to complete a tenth package of sanctions," she said at a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.
The President of the Commission stressed that the previous sanctions had already caused considerable damage to the Russian economy and would "set it back by a generation".
The price cap for Russian oil alone costs Moscow “about 160 million euros a day”.
Von der Leyen arrived in Kyiv in the morning for a two-day visit.
She was accompanied by 15 other commission members.
It is von der Leyen's fourth visit to the Ukrainian capital since Russia's war of aggression began almost a year ago.
mrc/dpa