Ukraine and Council of Europe agree to create tribunal for Russian aggression

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset have signed an agreement to establish a Special Tribunal to investigate the crime of aggression against Ukraine, the Council of Europe announced.

“Established within the framework of the Council of Europe, this tribunal will hold to account those who have used force in violation of the UN Charter, applying international law without double standards and reaffirming that Europe’s security will not rest on silence or impunity — but on law, principle, and action,” Berset said.

The agreement was signed on June 25 during Zelenskyy’s first official visit to the Council of Europe.

The legal process to establish the tribunal formally began on May 14, following political approval granted during a special summit held in Lviv on May 9.

The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) has consistently and actively called for the creation of a Special Tribunal to bring Russia’s leadership to justice for its crime of aggression against Ukraine.

The UWC welcomes every step taken by the international community to uphold justice and ensure accountability, stressing that impunity for such crimes poses a serious threat to global peace and security.