The deputy prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said Friday that the court's investigation into the invasion of Ukraine cannot be stopped by peace talks but can be postponed by the U.N. Security Council, the "Associated Press" reported. (AP)
"If we have an ongoing investigation, we will follow our own regulatory framework," Deputy Attorney General Najat Shamim Khan told the AP.
Negotiators and representatives from the United States, Ukraine and Russia have crisscrossed the globe in recent weeks in a series of meetings to discuss a potential deal.
Khan noted that efforts to achieve justice must go hand in hand with efforts for peace. "There needs to be accountability for peace to be sustainable," she said.
The Security Council can "ask the court to adjourn a case when it deems there is room for a peace settlement," Khan said, adding that this would only be a "temporary stay."
The court has issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and five others for alleged involvement in war crimes in Ukraine.
The Kremlin has repeatedly said it does not recognize the court's jurisdiction and considers the warrant null and void.
Khan was speaking at the end of the court's week-long annual session, where hundreds of diplomats, lawyers and activists gathered in The Hague to discuss unprecedented challenges, including U.S. sanctions, Russian arrest warrants and concerns about the court's future.
The Fijian lawyer is one of the nine officials, including six judges and the court's chief prosecutor, sanctioned by US President Donald Trump for conducting investigations against US and Israeli officials.
The US sanctions have affected the court's work on a wide range of investigations at a time when the institution is juggling increasing demands on its resources.
Despite the difficulties, Khan is optimistic. She said the court received "overwhelming support" from its 125 member states during the meeting. It is "a very challenging but also a very crucial moment for justice and for international criminal justice".