On August 19, a meeting took place at the Office of the Prosecutor General between Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko and the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Italy to Ukraine, Carlo Formoz.

During the meeting, the parties discussed current cooperation and further steps, particularly regarding the strengthening of the sanctions regime against the Russian Federation. Ruslan Kravchenko noted that Ukraine relies on further interaction with Italy regarding the enforcement of sanctions.

“I also want to thank the people of Italy for their comprehensive support for Ukraine – military, financial, humanitarian, and diplomatic. For their active participation in international initiatives in the field of justice and for their support in the establishment of a Special Tribunal,” said Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko.

The meeting also addressed war crimes committed by the Russian Federation and the future work of the Special Tribunal regarding the crime of aggression against Ukraine; European integration and the implementation of roadmaps for the rule of law and the Comprehensive Strategic Plan for the reform of law enforcement agencies; the protection of local and international investments; countering illegal interference by law enforcement agencies in business activities in criminal proceedings and pressure on them; and the work of the International Register of Damages caused to Ukraine by Russian aggression.

Joint projects were also discussed. These include support for prosecutors in frontline regions, investigations into crimes against cultural heritage, and the fight against cybercrime and organized crime.

“We highly value the existing cooperation with Italian law enforcement agencies and at the same time see a number of areas where collaboration can be further deepened,” said the Prosecutor General.

In particular, this concerns issues of extradition under martial law, as well as the identification of property and financial assets of Russian citizens and others involved in the commission of the crime of aggression against Ukraine on the territory of Italy.

“I want to assure you that Ukraine has taken all measures to bring places of detention in line with international standards, ensuring safe conditions. We are ready to provide all necessary guarantees and hope for the activation of our cooperation on extradition matters. There is also a request regarding legal assistance – obtaining information about property in Italy that may belong to individuals involved in committing international crimes on the territory of Ukraine. This is extremely important for us,” emphasized Ruslan Kravchenko.

The Prosecutor General also specifically noted the leadership and practical contribution of the Italian prosecution authorities in combating international crimes committed by representatives of the Russian Federation, in particular – the Italian law enforcement agencies have transferred relevant evidential information to the centralized judicial database based on Eurojust – CICED (Core International Crimes Evidence Database).

“This will ensure the preservation and further analysis of evidence of international crimes. I am grateful for your work,” added the Prosecutor General.

The parties agreed on further joint steps in the field of restoring justice and conducting systematic meetings to achieve the set goals.