The support of the Council of Europe in ensuring the responsibility of Russia for war crimes and continuing the reform of the prosecutor's office is an important component of the process of restoring justice, Prosecutor General of Ukraine Andriy Kostin siad.

The Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) said on its Telegram channel of the reported on Monday that during an official visit to Latvia, Kostin held meetings with Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović-Burić, and Head of the Directorate General for Human Rights and the Rule of Law of the Council of Europe Christos Giakoumopoulos.

"The Prosecutor General thanked for the support of the Council of Europe in ensuring the responsibility of Russia for war crimes and the continuation of the reform of the prosecutor's office. This support is an important component of the process of restoring justice," the PGO said.

"We highly value the strategic consultations of Council of Europe experts. Their experience would be invaluable in strengthening our work in priority areas: the return of Ukrainian children forcibly deported by the aggressor and the release of civilians illegally detained in Russia," Kostin's words are quoted in the statement during a conversation with the Secretary General of the Council Europe.

According to the statement, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General spoke about Ukraine's willingness not only to ensure an appropriate response in the legal sector, but also to develop international legal mechanisms that guarantee the safe return of Ukrainian citizens.

The department said Kostin thanked Giakoumopoulos for supporting the creation of the War Crimes Victims Register, assuring that protecting the rights of victims and witnesses of war crimes is an ongoing priority.

"We continue to work on introducing an approach focused on the interests of victims of Russian crimes. We have initiated the specialization of prosecutors, and the Coordination Center for Support of Victims and Witnesses has already started work. We will be very grateful for your assistance in strengthening the Ukrainian justice system in this important area," Kostin said.