Zelensky at the headquarters of the International Criminal Court

The Ukrainian president arrived Thursday morning at the headquarters of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin in March. The unexpected visit to the Netherlands was framed by critical security measures. Zelensky arrived at the court’s seat in The Hague around 10 a.m., a reporter for Agence France-Presse observed.

Dressed in his usual green robes and many of his staff in combat gear, the Ukrainian president was greeted by head of jurisdiction Piotr Hofmansky and other top officials. A Ukrainian flag was hoisted next to the ICC banner. Created in 2002 to deal with some of the world’s worst atrocities, the ICC began investigating crimes committed in Ukraine after the Russian invasion.

Mr Zelenskiy, who is making his first official visit to the Netherlands, landed at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on Wednesday evening after attending a Nordic summit in Helsinki, Dutch news agency ANP reported. ANP reports that the Ukrainian president visited the Dutch Senate in The Hague on Thursday morning. Mr. Zelensky is also expected to deliver a speech on the topic “There is no peace without justice for Ukraine” According to Dutch public broadcaster NOS, in the presence of Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra.

Meetings with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Belgian Prime Minister Alexandre de Groove are also scheduled.