The special tribunal for the crime of aggression by Russia against Ukraine may be established as early as 2025. Participants of the 13th meeting of the Core Group for the establishment of the Special Tribunal, held in Brussels, reported that significant progress has been made in drafting the founding charter, and the document could be signed as early as spring, according to DW.
According to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berse, the Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression will be created within the framework of the Council of Europe, and this could happen as soon as 2025.
"The establishment of the Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression within the Council of Europe will enable our international partners, particularly Ukraine and the European Union, to fully utilize our expertise and knowledge in the field of human rights protection and the rule of law across the continent," he stated at a briefing.
The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, urged other countries to join the group for establishing the Special Tribunal, which currently includes 41 countries, as well as the European Commission, the European External Action Service, and the Council of Europe itself.
Kallas also explained how the establishment of the Special Tribunal could impact potential negotiations that U.S. President Donald Trump intends to hold with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
In her opinion, even if the U.S. president manages to initiate peace talks, work with the tribunal will need to continue "to hold those responsible accountable and to ensure a just peace in Ukraine."
"We cannot allow the crime of aggression to go unpunished. The Special Tribunal is also part of the pressure on Putin and his regime to end this war. It sends a signal to other aggressors or those who intend to attack neighboring countries. That is why these signals are important, and who talks to whom is, of course, a decision for each to make," said the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs.
Tribunal for the crime of aggression by the Russian Federation: what is known
As previously reported by UNIAN, the future special tribunal for the crime of aggression by the Russian Federation will be located in The Hague. This is stated in the security agreement signed between Ukraine and the Netherlands in spring 2024.
According to Ukraine's representative at the International Court of Justice, Anton Korinevich, the special tribunal may begin its work even before the end of the war. He noted that "the crime of aggression is an elite crime, committed by those who can give orders to initiate and continue an aggressive war." "Accordingly, representatives of the highest political and military leadership of the Russian Federation must be held accountable for the crime of aggression," Korinevich stated.