Jan. 19 (UPI) -- The European Parliament overwhelmingly approved on Thursday a resolution to create a new tribunal to investigate possible war crimes committed by Russia during its nearly yearlong invasion of Ukraine.
The resolution, which calls for the European Union to work with Ukraine to create the body that would fill a current gap not covered by International Criminal Court's jurisdiction, was approved 472-19 with 33 abstentions.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen first mentioned the possibly of creating such a court in November, saying it would work separately from the ICC, which has already started its own investigation into war crimes against Russia, including genocide claims.
"Parliament says the atrocities committed by Russian forces in Bucha, Irpin and many other Ukrainian towns reveal the brutality of the war and underscore the importance of coordinated international action to bring those accountable to justice under international law," the body said in a statement.
"MEPs urge the EU, in close cooperation with Ukraine and the international community, to push for the creation of a special international tribunal to prosecute Russia's political and military leadership and its allies.
"Political and military leadership in Russia and Belarus must be held accountable. While noting that the exact modalities and composition of the special tribunal remain to be determined, MEPs stress that it must have jurisdiction to investigate not only Vladimir Putin and the political and military leadership of Russia, but also Aliaksandr Lukashenka and his cronies in Belarus."
Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said on Jan. 9 that calling such a tribunal that targets only Russia was "absurd," according to Russian news agency Tass. Russian Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov said that only the United Nations has the power to establish such a tribunal.
