The tribunal, once established, would specifically target Russia's top political and military leadership for the crime of aggression, defined as the illegal use of force by one state against another.
Ukraine and the Council of Europe signed a landmark agreement to establish a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression, aimed at prosecuting Russian leadership for the full-scale invasion. The signing follows more than three years of diplomatic efforts and deliberation.
The move marks a milestone in international efforts to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials accountable for launching the full-scale war against Ukraine.
President Zelensky is expected to address the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly on June 26 during its summer session in Strasbourg, though his attendance has not been confirmed. The session agenda includes discussions on Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine.
The Council of Europe on May 14 approved the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Russia's top leadership for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, Ukrainian lawmaker Maria Mezentseva reported.
The approval marks a key step in international efforts to hold Moscow accountable for what is considered the gravest violation of international law committed against Ukraine.
Delegations from 35 countries and the Council of Europe gathered in Lviv as EU officials prepare to approve both new defense aid and steps toward establishing a tribunal for Russian leadership.
Jonathan Shrier, acting U.S. representative to the U.N. Economic and Social Council, said Washington opposed the resolution because of repeated statements about the war in Ukraine that the U.S. considers “unhelpful in advancing the cause of peace.”
The Council of Europe's special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine will not try Putin or other top Russian officials in absentia while they remain in office, EU sources said.
Russia’s Justice Ministry declared the Register of Damage Caused by Russian Aggression against Ukraine an "undesirable organization" on Feb. 7.
The tribunal, set to operate within the Council of Europe, will focus on Russia's political and military leaders, including President Vladimir Putin.
PACE's table office explained its decision by saying that "calling Putin a terrorist is against the rule of procedure because it 'insults his dignity,'" Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksandr Merezhko told the Kyiv Independent.
Georgia withdrew its delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Jan. 29 after the Assembly passed a resolution calling for Tbilisi to hold new parliamentary elections.
The International Register of Damage for Ukraine has begun accepting applications for compensation from families who lost close relatives due to Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine's Presidential Office announced on Jan. 16.
In an exclusive interview with the Kyiv Independent, Kaja Kallas, the newly appointed vice-president of the European Commission and top EU diplomat, discusses Ukraine support and recent EU sanctions against Russia. Kallas visited Kyiv on Dec. 1, the first day in her new role.
In a post on Facebook, Peter Szijjarto said that "other plans" had been proposed by others but were not being considered by the Council, and the exclusion of Russia from the body meant peace negotiations could not work. The minister did not specify which other plans he was referring to.
The European leaders confirmed their participation in the upcoming global peace summit in Switzerland following phone calls with President Volodymyr Zelensky on May 8.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted unanimously on April 16 in support of a resolution calling for frozen Russian assets to be transferred to a new fund for Ukraine's reconstruction.
Council of Europe Development Bank has allocated a loan of 100 million euros ($108 million) to restore housing for Ukrainians, Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said on March 27.
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