Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday signed an agreement with the Council of Europe to establish a special tribunal to address the "crime of aggression" related to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The accord, signed with Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset in Strasbourg, sets out plans to create a legal body tasked with examining the responsibility of senior Russian officials for launching the war.

Speaking after the signing in Strasbourg with Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset, Zelenskyy said: “Aggression must lead to punishment. We must make it happen together, all of Europe.”

He called the agreement a “real chance to bring justice” and stressed the need for accountability at the highest level.

“Every war criminal must know there will be justice, and that includes Russia,” added the Ukrainian President.

The proposed tribunal, the first of its kind created under the Council of Europe, is intended to fill a legal gap left by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which does not have jurisdiction to try the crime of aggression. While the ICC has issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and several senior commanders, it cannot prosecute decisions to launch war.

Berset said the next step would be to expand the agreement to include more countries and secure broad international backing. The court’s location has yet to be determined, but it could begin work in 2026.

Russia was expelled from the Council of Europe in 2022 following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The 46-member body includes non-EU states such as Türkiye, the UK, and Ukraine.

Copied