EU foreign affairs ministers back creation of special tribunal for Russian crimes

EU foreign affairs ministers and senior EU officials have expressed support for the creation of a tribunal to prosecute Russia’s crime of aggression against Ukraine, as reported by state broadcaster Suspilne. 

The political backing for the initiative was formalized at a meeting in Lviv on May 9.

Thirty-five delegates attended the meeting, including representatives from the Council of Europe, the continent’s leading human rights organization. 

“An important message is the establishment of a tribunal for the crime of aggression. This means that no one will go unpunished for the crimes they have committed, including leaders who chose to send their soldiers to commit the war crimes we are witnessing here,” said Kaja Kallas, the Vice President of the European Commission and EU High Representative.

The foundational documents for the tribunal, including its statute, were developed by the Coalition of States — referred to as the Core Group — working to establish a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. 

This coalition now includes over 40 countries.

“This is a clear political statement of support, paving the way for transferring all developments to the Council of Europe for actual implementation. The Council of Europe will take the necessary steps to establish the special tribunal,” said Iryna Mudra, Deputy Head of the President’s Office.

The tribunal is expected to be operational next year, with work on its creation within the Council of Europe set to begin this month.

While the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has issued six arrest warrants against Russian military-political leaders, it can only prosecute crimes of aggression committed by countries that have ratified the Rome Statute. 

Russia is not a signatory to the statute.

As a result, Ukraine’s Western allies have called for the creation of a separate, independent tribunal specifically for Russia’s crime of aggression against Ukraine.

Since 2022, the Ukrainian World Congress has been a consistent advocate for holding Russia accountable for its inhumane transgressions.