Nearly 40 countries commit to join special tribunal for Ukraine

A total of 36 countries and the European Union have committed to joining an agreement establishing a special tribunal to prosecute crimes committed during Russia's war against Ukraine, the Council of Europe said on Friday.

“These states have taken a decisive step towards the actual establishment of the Special Tribunal and the recognition of responsibilities for the aggression against Ukraine," Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset said at a meeting of foreign ministers of the 46-member council in Chişinău.

"The Special Tribunal represents justice and hope. Action now needs to be taken to follow up on this political commitment by securing the Tribunal’s functioning and funding. The time for Russia to be held to account for its aggression is fast approaching."

The Strasbourg-based Council of Europe is committed to upholding human rights and the rule of law in its 46 member states. It is independent of the EU.

The international human rights body has spent recent months preparing the tribunal, which will be based in The Hague and is intended to hold senior Russian leadership figures accountable for the decision to launch a war of aggression against Ukraine.

The tribunal is intended to close a gap, as the International Criminal Court, also based in The Hague, has only limited jurisdiction, being restricted to investigating possible war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Further steps are required before the new special tribunal can be established, with a budget to be determined and secured first, for example.

Supporting countries include Council of Europe members such as France, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom and Ukraine itself. Costa Rica and Australia have also announced their participation.