The first major step to hold Russia accountable for war crimes will be taken at an international conference in Lviv in western Ukraine this weekend, when an agreement on a special center to prosecute Vladimir Putin will be signed, DPA and Agerpres reported.

An agreement on the creation of a new International Center for the Prosecution of Crimes of Aggression (ICPA) will be signed at the conference, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday.

It will provide evidence for future legal proceedings and will be based at the headquarters of the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) in The Hague.

Russia and President Vladimir Putin must be held accountable for the terrible crimes against Ukraine, Von der Leyen said in a video message. There is increasing evidence of direct attacks on civilians, as well as energy sources and other infrastructure.

“It is known that Russian troops resorted to torture, ill-treatment, sexual violence and extrajudicial executions. Even children are not exempt,” said the President of the EC.

“We must do everything possible to bring those responsible to justice,” said Ursula von der Leyen. The EU supports the role of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in this regard.

However, the EU also believes there should be a separate tribunal to hold Russia accountable for the crime of aggression, she added.

Since Russia does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC, the court cannot consider crimes committed by this country, the European Commission believes.

In this regard, several other options are currently being discussed. The ICPA is the first step in this process of securing evidence for further legal proceedings.

Saturday’s events regarding the war started by Russia in Ukraine are broadcast LIVE on HotNews.ro