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.
A tour bus carrying more than 50 passengers overturned on Interstate 90 in Upstate New York, killing at least five people and injuring dozens, officia...
NASA is preparing for its second year-long Mars analog mission inside the 1,700-square-foot 3D-printed CHAPEA habitat at the Johnson Space Center in H...
Brazil’s government has ruled out subsidising hotel costs for delegates attending the COP30 climate summit in Belém this November, despite growing ...
On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in Washington, focusing on burden sharing, trade...
President Donald Trump said on Friday that he may extend his federal crackdown on crime to Chicago and other Democrat-led cities, after deploying the ...
NASA is preparing for its second year-long Mars analog mission inside the 1,700-square-foot 3D-printed CHAPEA habitat at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
Brazil’s government has ruled out subsidising hotel costs for delegates attending the COP30 climate summit in Belém this November, despite growing concerns over soaring accommodation prices.
On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in Washington, focusing on burden sharing, trade, and strengthening the bilateral alliance, the State Department announced.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
Honduras has brought back mask mandates as COVID-19 cases and a new variant surge nationwide.
Kuwait says oil prices will likely stay below $72 per barrel as OPEC monitors global supply trends and U.S. policy signals. The remarks come during market uncertainty fueled by new U.S. tariffs on India and possible sanctions on Russia.
A tour bus carrying more than 50 passengers overturned on Interstate 90 in Upstate New York, killing at least five people and injuring dozens, officials said.
On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in Washington, focusing on burden sharing, trade, and strengthening the bilateral alliance, the State Department announced.
President Donald Trump said on Friday that he may extend his federal crackdown on crime to Chicago and other Democrat-led cities, after deploying the National Guard and federal agents in Washington, D.C.
North Korea stated on Saturday that South Korean forces fired warning shots in the border area earlier this week, calling the move a deliberate provocation, according to state media KCNA.
California and Denmark have joined forces to boost green economy resilience and innovation, with Governor Gavin Newsom and Danish officials signing a key agreement in San Francisco.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment