The United States may leave the international effort in prosecuting Russia for war crimes against Ukraine, The Telegraph reported on Friday.
According to Western officials, US envoys had refused to label Russia as an “aggressor” during a meeting between multiple countries who were preparing to try Russian President Vladimir Putin in a Nuremberg-style tribunal for war crimes.
Trump’s Administration has allegedly also refused to sign off on a planned G7 statement in which it states that Russia is the “aggressor” in the war against Ukraine.
Trump has in the past blamed Ukraine for the war, calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator,” and has pushed for Russia to be reinvited to the alliance of industrialized nations.
According to The Telegraph, European officials fear Trump’s praises towards Putin could lead to Russia being let off the hook for the invasion as part of a peace agreement.
Can’t be prosecuted for the crime of aggression
“Unless they acknowledge it’s an aggression, they can’t participate,” an International Criminal Court official said to The Telegraph.
The ICC allegedly can’t prosecute someone for a crime of aggression, The Telegraph writes.
“This is quite a drastic shift,” a European diplomat said. “Rewriting history and pretending that Russia wasn’t the one who started this war is something that we simply cannot and will not agree to.”
The US is still expected to attend the next meeting in Strasbourg, France, in March, since they have not officially withdrawn.
This article was originally published at www.jpost.com
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