Try Putin for war crimes in the Hague, Sunak and Starmer agree in bipartisan PMQs
By Lewis Denison, ITV News Westminster producer
Vladimir Putin should be tried for war crimes in the International Criminal Court, Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer have agreed at an unusually bipartisan Prime Minister's Questions.
Prime Minister Sunak said he expected to see the first International Criminal Court (ICC) indictments linked to Russia’s renewed invasion of Ukraine “very shortly”.
It came in response to a question from the Labour leader who chose a less combative stance at PMQs, standing in solidarity with the government in its support for Ukraine.
He asked the PM if he agreed that “Putin and all his cronies must stand at The Hague and face justice” once the war is over.
Mr Sunak replied: “He’s absolutely right that we must hold those to account for the horrific crimes that they have committed.
“I’m proud the United Kingdom has played, again, a leadership role in this regard being one of the first countries to provide financial and technical support, putting investigators on the ground, we’re shortly to be hosting a conference together with the Dutch.
“And also one of the things I discussed with President Zelenskyy this morning is our support for the work of the ICC where, thanks to the efforts of UK members, I’m hopeful we will see the first indictments very shortly.”
After PMQs, the PM's attention returns to President Zelenskyy, who is on his first UK visit since Russia invaded his country.
The Ukrainian leader will also meet King Charles at Buckingham Palace and visit his troops being trained by British forces.
Prime Minister Sunak pledged announced plans to train Ukrainian pilots, paving the way for them eventually being able to fly sophisticated Nato-standard jets - a key request from Mr Zelenskyy.
The UK, along with other Nato countries, is still refusing to send military jets to Ukraine, arguing that the RAF’s F-35 and Typhoon aircraft systems take too long for pilots learn, however the training signals a change could be coming.
Mr Zelenskyy thanked Britain for its "big support from the first days of full-scale invasion" after being welcomed to Downing Street by Mr Sunak.
Sunak and Zelenskyy chat in Downing Street on the Ukrainian's first UK visit
It comes after Mr Sunak reshuffled his Cabinet on Tuesday, appointing Greg Hands as Tory party chairman after sacking Nadhim Zahawi the week previously, and creating four new government departments.
Grant Shapps, formerly the business secretary, is now leading the newly-formed energy security department which is tasked with bringing down household bills after Russia's invasion of Ukraine led global oil and gas prices to skyrocket.
The reshuffle was seen as a bid by Mr Sunak to reset his government after several ministers were involved in controversies and two were sacked within his first 100 days.
But Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, who is under a Cabinet Office investigation over bullying allegations, survived the reshuffle and remains in Cabinet - for now at least.
Mr Sunak said he wants to wait for the investigation to conclude before deciding what action to take but insisted he "won’t hesitate to take swift and decisive action".