Ukraine and the Council of Europe have officially signed an agreement to establish a Special International Tribunal that will address the crime of aggression committed by Russia against Ukraine. The signing ceremony took place in Strasbourg with the participation of representatives of the Ukrainian government and the leadership of the Council of Europe.

According to Ukraine’s Minister of Justice, Denys Maliuska, the establishment of the tribunal is “a crucial step toward holding the Russian leadership legally accountable for waging war against Ukraine”. He emphasized that “the issue of justice is not political, but legal”, and expressed hope that the international community would continue to support the process.

Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, noted that the agreement would serve as a foundation for holding the highest political and military leadership of the Russian Federation accountable. She added that the Council of Europe would actively assist in forming legal mechanisms and international coordination.

According to the agreement, the tribunal will operate on the basis of international law, with judges from Council of Europe member states and technical support from the European Union. Its goal is to provide a legal assessment of actions committed since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale aggression in February 2022.

The creation of the tribunal has been supported by more than 40 countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and most Eastern European countries.

The idea of a special tribunal on Russian aggression has been discussed since 2023. It aims to fill a gap in international law: unlike the International Criminal Court (ICC), the tribunal will be able to directly consider the crime of aggression, not just war crimes or genocide.

 

Source: Reuters

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27.06.2025 08:00