After ratifying the Rome Statute, Ukraine must amend its Criminal Code to implement the statute's provisions, as the ratification will only take effect when the implementation law is adopted, explained Iryna Mudra, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office.

"The next step, after ratification, is to align our legislation with the requirements of the Rome Statute. The Presidential Office has submitted a draft law to adapt the Rome Statute to national legislation. The review of these amendments is expected to take place around September," she said.

Mudra emphasized the need to amend the Criminal Code in a way that doesn't disrupt ongoing legal proceedings in the country. There are currently 135 ongoing investigations related to war crimes.

"We are proposing a basic implementation package that introduces the crime of 'crimes against humanity,' which our current legislation doesn't include. This will allow us to hold the Russian military command accountable, which is currently not possible," she said.

Once this basic package is adopted, work on full implementation will begin, involving stakeholders, investigators, prosecutors, judges, legal experts, and international partners. "It will take time to work on it thoroughly," Mudra said.

One major advantage of ratifying the Rome Statute is that Ukraine can now nominate a candidate for the International Criminal Court (ICC), participate in elections for key positions, such as the ICC prosecutor, she said.

"By the way, I would like to point out that the election of a judge will take place in 2026, and Ukraine will be able to present its candidate," Mudra said.

She added that Ukraine's full participation in the ICC gives victims of Russian aggression access to the so-called Trust Fund for Victims of the International Criminal Court, increasing the chances of receiving compensation for crimes committed by Russia.

"Until now, we had obligations but no rights. With the ratification of the Rome Statute, we are gaining rights. Ukraine will finally be able to fully participate in the ICC Assembly [the body that oversees the court's operations and serves as its legislative body] and, accordingly, influence ICC policies, contribute to amending the Rome Statute in ways that are crucial for us in terms of protecting our military, and approve the ICC budget to ensure proper investigation of Russian crimes on Ukrainian soil," the Deputy Head of the Presidential Office said.

She expressed hope that after the ratification, Ukraine will be able to influence the prioritization of issues within the ICC, improve its efficiency, and bring more Russian citizens to justice. As of now, there are already six arrest warrants issued for Russian President Vladimir Putin and members of the Russian leadership.