Andriy Kostin expressed his gratitude for the continued support of the Council of Europe, Mr. Christos Giakoumopoulos personally, his Directorate and the team of the "Human Rights Complaint Justice System in Ukraine" project.
"We have many years of experience and a history of cooperation, but the support of the Council of Europe became especially valuable after the beginning of Russian aggression. Ukrainian prosecutors have experience in investigating war crimes since 2014, but the help of international experts and experienced prosecutors is important for the victory of justice," stressed Andriy Kostin.
During the meeting, they discussed the contribution of the Expert Advisory Group, which the Council of Europe created shortly after the start of the aggression, and further cooperation, in particular in the field of strategic communications to counter Russian propaganda. The Prosecutor General emphasized the importance of creating an international mechanism to prosecute the highest political and military leadership of the Russian Federation for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. He highly appreciated the support of this initiative by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Andriy Kostin also added that the continuation of institutional reform, with the support of the Council of Europe, remains important for the prosecutor's office.
Christos Giakoumopoulos emphasized that he was impressed by the priorities that the Prosecutor General identified as the main ones in the work of the prosecutor's office and added that they are also important for the Council of Europe. He assured that his team remains committed to common goals and remains highly motivated to continue and deepen cooperation.
The parties agreed on the importance of effective coordination of international assistance.
"Expertise provided to Ukrainian prosecutors by international partners helps to achieve the main goal - Ukrainian society should feel the victory of justice and the supremacy of law over force. Therefore, I set myself the task of synchronizing the efforts of all bodies at the international level and within the country," the Prosecutor General summarized.
