Now, perhaps, the time has come when we really need to think not about what the world can give us, but what we are ready to give to the world. That is what true responsibility to the state really means. This was emphasized by Oleksiy Shevchuk, partner and spokesperson for Barristers Law Firm, in an interview with “ZiB.”
— People often ask, “What can the state do for us?” You say it’s time to ask the question differently. Why now, specifically?
— We’re used to thinking of the state as an abstract institution that owes us something. But the situation with the International Criminal Court (ICC) reveals a completely different logic: today, the question “What can Ukraine offer the world?” is more relevant than ever.
This isn’t just about political support or diplomatic engagement—Ukraine must offer systematic expertise and professionals capable of working effectively within the ICC’s structure.
— So it’s not just about a diplomatic presence, but about human resources?
— Exactly. If you look at the ICC’s job openings, you’ll see that they need far more than just judges or prosecutors. There are positions for OSINT coordinators, language analysts, financial experts, evidence management specialists, and even cyber intelligence specialists.
The Court is a massive organization. And for it to function, it needs dozens of highly qualified specialists in various fields.
Unfortunately, there are very few such people in Ukraine. If we can find ten people ready to start working in The Hague tomorrow—that would be an optimistic forecast.
— But we do have experience collaborating with the European Court of Human Rights. Can’t that be applied to the ICC?
— Partially, yes, but with significant limitations. We have a strong tradition of ECHR practice; there’s an entire generation of specialists—lawyers, attorneys, and scholars—
who have been shaped by European case law. Take, for example, Elvira Lazarenko, Andriy Leshchenko, and Ivan Lishchyna—these are professionals whose experience is invaluable.
However, the ICC is a different world. It has a different procedural logic, a different role for evidence, and a different mechanism for gathering information. The Court requires practical skills in international criminal proceedings, an understanding of military operations, and language proficiency at the level of technical translation of international terminology. It is a highly specialized environment.
— You’ve mentioned the idea of creating a Ukrainian Training Center for ICC personnel on more than one occasion. What would that look like in practice?
— The idea is very simple, yet strategic. Ukraine should establish a training center to prepare specialists to work in international judicial bodies, primarily the ICC.
Such a center should have several areas of focus:
first, a training program for practicing lawyers (investigators, prosecutors, and attorneys);
second, training for technical and analytical staff—for example, OSINT specialists, evidence managers, translators, and data auditors;
and third, a language and ethics training module adapted to The Hague standards.
We have a strong academic foundation in Ukraine: Professors Senatorova, Gutnik, and Pashkovsky are scholars we can rely on. But even these scholars will need a team tomorrow that is capable of integrating into the court’s practical operations.
— Are there successful examples of such a model in other countries?
— Yes, for example, Canada established the Canadian Centre for International Justice, which trains lawyers and analysts specifically for international tribunals. The center collaborates with The Hague Academy and international prosecution teams.
Ukraine needs something similar—a partnership between universities, government agencies, and the ICC itself. This could be a joint initiative involving the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, academic institutions, and civil society organizations.
— Strategically speaking, why does the state need this?
— Because international criminal law will be one of the defining areas of 21st-century politics—both for geopolitical reasons and due to the specific circumstances of the war against Ukraine.
In any case, in the coming decades, the focus will definitely shift toward The Hague—and Ukraine needs real experts, not just symbolic ones.
This isn’t a matter of prestige; it’s a matter of competence: either we train our own specialists, or others will do it for us.
— So, personnel policy is also part of a state’s international agency?
— Exactly. Being present in the international justice system means not only signing ratification documents but also being able to operate within that system.
Author: Oleksiy Shevchuk, Attorney and Partner at Barristers
Source: https://zib.com.ua/ua/171896-ukraini_potriben_centr_pidgotovki_fahivciv_dlya_mizhnarodnog.html