Iceland and Poland join push for special tribunal on Russia's aggression

Iryna Vakuliuk - 15 April, 00:42

Andrii Sybiha. Photo: Ukrainska Pravda

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has said that Iceland and Poland have confirmed their readiness to join the agreement on the establishment of a Special Tribunal to investigate Russia's crime of aggression against Ukraine.

Source: Sybiha on X (Twitter)

Details: Sybiha explained that after receiving 17 confirmations from member states, the Council of Europe will be able to formally put the agreement to a vote.

Quote: "It marks a turning point: with 17 confirmations we have officially crossed the bare legal minimum of Council of Europe member states required to put the agreement to vote."

Details: Sybiha said the Enlarged Partial Agreement (EPA) on the Management Committee of the Special Tribunal is expected to be considered and adopted at a meeting of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers in Chișinău on 14-15 May.

Quote: "Less than a year has passed since we gave the green light to the Tribunal on 9 May 2025, when we gathered European foreign ministers in Lviv. And now we have prepared all legal steps to put the Tribunal into action.

We will continue to gather more signatures of countries to join – both within the Council of Europe and outside of it, on all continents and in all regions."

Details: Sybiha stressed that establishing the tribunal is crucial for holding Russia's leadership accountable and ensuring justice.

Background:

On 25 March, the European Commission adopted a proposal to begin the process of the EU joining the group of founding members of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
Once member states approve the proposal, the European Commission will be able to announce the EU's intention to join the tribunal as a founding member. The EU will then play a central role in the tribunal's activities, including as a member of the Steering Committee that will oversee the Special Tribunal.
On the same day, Sweden also announced its intention to join the agreement on the Special Tribunal.
During a visit to Kyiv in February, Alain Berset, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, said that the launch of the Special Tribunal depends on the "will of the states".

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