Gordon Brown today called for Vladimir Putin to face a Nuremberg-style war crimes tribunal.
The former Prime Minister said the Russian premier should be held to account for atrocities committed as his forces invade Ukraine.
Writing exclusively for the Mirror, he said: “It was here in the UK, during that war, that a group of governments published a statement entitled Punishment for War Crimes, which stated that, ‘War crimes should not be left unpunished’.
"It was this statement that led to the International Military Tribunal which paved the way for the trials at Nuremberg.
"A Tribunal was necessary, they said then, ‘to satisfy the sense of justice of the civilized world’. That is as true now as in 1942.”
The ex-Labour leader is addressing a Chatham House think-tank panel alongside Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba.
Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said Putin was "at risk" of ending up in prison for war crimes carried out by invaders.
Keir Starmer added: “From what I've already seen, it seems to me there's evidence of war crimes, and it's very important that all of those responsible are held to account, including Putin.
“I’m very pleased that the prosecutor has already opened an investigation. And what's really important now is the gathering of evidence to make sure that the most powerful case can be brought whenever it can be brought."
Full opinion piece by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown
The cost of war cannot be counted only in tanks destroyed, missiles fired and bullets discharged.
The cost of war is felt in the desperate cries of wounded children, the anguish of bereaved mothers and fathers and the tears and suffering of the innocent.
And this week, news pictures on our TV screen revealing the horror unleashed on the people and cities of Ukraine by Russian president Putin, compel us to bear witness to those all too human costs.
Winston Churchill once said that courage is the greatest quality of all because upon it all else depends. And it is unending bravery that is defining the heroic resistance of the people of Ukraine.
Already far too many lives have been destroyed - but we can see that Ukraine’s resolve is indestructible.
Hearts are being broken by the hour but Ukraine's unity is unbreakable.
And now we must support the Ukraine people. Yesterday their leaders asked us to take action on their behalf - to ensure the full force of international law bears down against President Putin.
Putin stands accused of the heinous crime of aggression against Ukraine. But currently there is a gap in international law that prevents us from bringing Putin to book for this crime.
To his great credit, the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has already opened an investigation into current events in Ukraine, and with the support of nearly 30 countries will ask ICC judges to approve the inquiry.
But, whilst his current remit does extend to genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, it does not extend to Russia's responsibiltiy for starting the war in the first place.
And although Ukraine has started proceedings before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and looks to the European Court of Human Rights to address violation of basic rights, the heinous crime of aggression cannot be dealt with other than by a specially convened Tribunal.
Aggression cannot go unpunished. And neither can Putin.
He has sought to replace the rule of law with the use of force. He seeks to rip up the principle of self-determination with a new form of imperialism based on a warped reading of history.
He is waging a war that has no conceivable legal justification, that is not in self-defence and is in contrary to the charter of the United Nations.
The Special Tribunal has been proposed by a brilliant group of international lawyers led by Professor Phillippe Sands. And it has the support of the Ukraine government whose Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, was due to say in an impassioned speech at Chatham house that he wants us to act urgently.
The Tribunal should be constituted on the same principles that guided the allied powers in 1942 when we fought Nazism.
It was here in the UK, during that war, that a group of governments published a statement entitled Punishment for War Crimes, which stated that, “War crimes should not be left unpunished.”
It was this statement that led to the International Military Tribunal which paved the way for the trials at Nuremberg.
A Tribunal was necessary, they said then, “to satisfy the sense of justice of the civilized world.”
That is as true now as in 1942.
The Tribunal "to secure the punishment through the channel of organised justice, of those guilty or responsible for these crimes.”
That too must be our aim today.
This Special Tribunal for the Punishment of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine can be set up with speed with the power to investigate not just the principal perpetrators of the crime of aggression, but all those who are complicit in its commission, including those who provided finance.
I call on all European countries who believe that aggression must never pay to support the creation of this tribunal, so that justice is done by the embattled people of Ukraine - and justice can be seen to be done by them.
