The Hague: Europe and the Arabs

The International Criminal Court's Deputy Prosecutor, Nezhat Shamim Khan, said the court's investigation into the invasion of Ukraine cannot be halted by peace talks, but the UN Security Council has the power to postpone it.

"If we have an ongoing investigation, we will follow our own procedural framework," Khan said.

This comes amid a flurry of diplomatic activity in recent weeks, with negotiators and officials from the United States, Ukraine, and Russia traveling the world for numerous meetings to discuss a potential peace agreement aimed at ending the full-scale Russian invasion.

The ICC Deputy Prosecutor believes that efforts to achieve justice must go hand in hand with peace efforts. "There must be the possibility of accountability for peace to be lasting and sustainable," she said.

Khan acknowledged that the Security Council could "ask the court to postpone the case when it sees room for a peace agreement," but stressed that this would only be a "temporary pause." According to Euronews, the European news network based in Brussels, the court issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and five other officials for alleged war crimes in Ukraine.

The Kremlin has repeatedly stated that it does not recognize the court's jurisdiction and considers the arrest warrants null and void.

Khan made these remarks on Friday at the close of the court's week-long annual meeting, where hundreds of diplomats, lawyers, and activists gathered in The Hague to discuss unprecedented challenges facing the International Criminal Court, including US sanctions and concerns about the court's future.

The Fijian lawyer is one of nine staff members, including six judges and the court's prosecutor, who were sanctioned by the Trump administration for pursuing investigations into US and Israeli officials.

The US sanctions have negatively impacted the court's work in a wide range of investigations at a time when the institution is facing unprecedented financial challenges. Despite the difficulties, Khan expressed optimism because the court received "a tremendous amount of support" from the 125 member states during the meeting. However, she acknowledged the sensitivity of the situation, saying, "This is a very difficult time, but it is also a very critical time for justice and international criminal justice."