A group of 36 countries has expressed support for the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Russia over the war in Ukraine. The initiative, backed by 34 European states along with Australia, Costa Rica, and the European Union, was endorsed during a meeting of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers in Strasbourg.
The tribunal is intended to address the “crime of aggression”—the decision to launch the war—which currently falls outside the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky signed an agreement last year with the Council of Europe to advance the establishment of such a legal body.
Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset emphasized the urgency of the initiative, stating: “The time for Russia to be held to account for its aggression is fast approaching.” He added that the tribunal represents “justice and hope,” while stressing that further steps are needed to secure its funding and operational framework.
Russia was expelled from the Council of Europe in 2022 following the start of the war in Ukraine. While the ICC has already issued arrest warrants for Russian president Vladimir Putin over the alleged abduction of Ukrainian children, it lacks the authority to prosecute.
Not all countries have joined the initiative. Twelve Council of Europe member states—including Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Malta—have yet to sign on, alongside several Balkan and Caucasus nations.
