Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus joined 35 other countries on Friday in backing the creation of a special international tribunal aimed at prosecuting Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior Russian officials for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. The agreement was formalised during the Council of Europe’s annual meeting of foreign ministers, and the tribunal is set to operate from The Hague.
Agreement and venue
The agreement was formalised during the annual meeting of foreign ministers of the Council of Europe, with the tribunal set to operate from The Hague.
Rationale and ICC limitations
Participating states said the initiative aims to address a legal gap left by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which cannot prosecute the crime of aggression in relation to Russia because Moscow is not a signatory to the Rome Statute.
Ukraine’s response
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the development as “the point of no return” in efforts to establish accountability for Russia’s invasion.
“The Special Court is becoming a legal reality. Very few believed this day would come. But it has,” Sybiha said, comparing the process to the post-war Nuremberg trials.
“Putin always wanted to go down in history. And this court will help him achieve that. He will go down in history. As a criminal,” Sybiha added.
Governance and commitments
The resolution adopted on Friday establishes the structure of a management committee that will supervise the tribunal’s operation, including approving budgets and appointing judges and prosecutors. Participating countries also pledged to respect the independence of judicial proceedings.
Signatories
Alongside Cyprus, signatories included Greece, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. Australia and Costa Rica were the only non-European countries to support the initiative at this stage.
What impact do you think the proposed tribunal could have on efforts to prosecute the crime of aggression?
