Zelensky and Council of Europe Sign Deal to Launch Special Tribunal for Russian Aggression

On June 25, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, signed an agreement in Strasbourg to establish a Special Tribunal dedicated to prosecuting the crime of aggression committed against Ukraine. The signing took place during Zelensky’s first official visit to the Council of Europe headquarters. It followed a formal mandate granted to Berset by the Council’s Committee of Ministers, allowing him to sign on behalf of the organization.

The tribunal is being designed to hold high-level state officials accountable for initiating or participating in aggressive war, even if they currently enjoy immunity due to their positions. Actual prosecutions and convictions, however, will only proceed once the individuals in question leave office. The legal framework of the new body will be rooted in Article 8 bis of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, reinforced by the definition of aggression outlined in United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3314.

Unlike hybrid or national courts, this tribunal is intended to have full international legal status. It will also allow trials in absentia, enabling proceedings even without the physical presence of the accused. This feature is particularly relevant in the context of pursuing charges against Russian political and military leaders, and potentially those of Belarus and North Korea.

The initiative to create the tribunal gained political momentum at a summit held in Lviv on May 9. On May 14, the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers officially launched the legal procedure required for its formation.

Following the agreement’s signing, Zelensky addressed lawmakers at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), emphasizing that the creation of the tribunal is only the beginning. He called for continued legal and political cooperation to make the tribunal operational. Zelensky thanked the Council of Europe members who had supported the idea and underlined the need for ongoing engagement to ensure war criminals, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, are brought to justice. He underscored the importance of not allowing such individuals to find refuge from accountability.

On the same day, Zelensky participated in a high-level meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague. He met with leaders from the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Poland, and France, as well as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The session provided an opportunity for a strategic discussion on Ukraine’s defense and ongoing international support efforts.

The leaders also reviewed diplomatic moves being led by the United States to encourage a ceasefire and to open the door to negotiations that could result in a just and sustainable peace. According to the Italian Prime Minister’s office, they agreed that Russia must show real commitment to dialogue - something it has so far failed to demonstrate.

All participants reiterated their continued support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and defense capabilities, including assistance to Ukraine’s defense sector and new sanctions aimed at pressuring Moscow.

Earlier that day, Zelensky had also met with U.S. President Donald Trump. The roughly 45-minute conversation took place following the conclusion of the NATO summit’s formal session and the publication of the final declaration, which reaffirmed support for Ukrainian defense through allied spending.

Zelensky described the meeting as productive. The two leaders discussed a broad range of issues including the Middle East, ongoing threats to Ukrainian civilians, the procurement of U.S.-made air defense systems, and the status of the Istanbul-based talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations. He also brought up the return of prisoners of war and fallen soldiers.

Zelensky specifically thanked Trump for recent American actions against Iran, noting that these measures had disrupted both Iran’s nuclear efforts and its drone manufacturing, which affects Russia’s supply chain. The Ukrainian president also stressed the importance of shielding Ukrainian infrastructure, religious sites, and civilian populations through robust air defense.

On the battlefield, Zelensky assured Trump that Russia is not gaining ground. He said he had presented the U.S. president with up-to-date information on military developments and reiterated Ukraine’s commitment to resisting Russian aggression.

Trump later confirmed that the meeting went well but clarified that the discussion did not focus on a ceasefire. His aim, he said, was to “see how Zelensky was doing.”