US may withdraw from international efforts for tribunal against Putin – Media
Photo: Donald Trump, US President (Getty Images)
The US may end its participation in a program aimed at holding Russia accountable for war crimes. Washington refuses to call Russia an aggressor, The Telegraph reports.
According to the media outlet, the US refused to call Russia an "aggressor" during a meeting of the "core group of countries" working on establishing a tribunal to hold Vladimir Putin accountable for his war crimes.
As The Telegraph writes, European officials already fear that US President Donald Trump’s flattery toward Putin could lead to the Russian leader being absolved of responsibility for the invasion as part of a peace settlement.
This stance by Washington has already negatively impacted preparations for the final meeting of the "core group" next month. The group leads a coalition of 40 countries aiming to establish a special tribunal for Russia.
"Unless they acknowledge it’s an aggression, they can’t participate," an unnamed official told the outlet.
At the same time, The Telegraph clarifies that the US has not yet withdrawn from the initiative and is expected to take part in the next "core group" meeting in Strasbourg.
The news agency notes that negotiations are ongoing in European capitals regarding the potential collapse of the special tribunal if the US ultimately withdraws from the initiative.
Just a few weeks ago, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset announced significant progress in creating a special tribunal for Russia.
Meanwhile, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Iryna Mudra stated in an interview with RBC-Ukraine that the special tribunal against Russia will not begin operations in 2025.
