At talks in Moldova, more than 30 countries have agreed to join a future special tribunal for Ukraine to prosecute Russia for its invasion. Thirty-four European nations, Australia, Costa Rica, and the European Union as an entity signed up on Friday, the Council of Europe announced.
The plan has been in development since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed an agreement with the Council of Europe last year. Most of the 46 member states of the Council of Europe approved a resolution laying the groundwork for the tribunal.
"The time for Russia to be held to account for its aggression is fast approaching," said Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset. "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."
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the event "a historic day." "Just like the Nuremberg tribunal 80 years ago, this Special Tribunal in The Hague will restore justice from the ruins of war," he said, referencing the post-WWII trials. Sybiha emphasized an "infrastructure of accountability" with three pillars: the Special Tribunal, the Register of Damages, and the Claims Commission.
Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen said his country agreed to "host the initial phase" of the tribunal in The Hague. Critics question how the body will prosecute alleged Russian war criminals given the unlikelihood of the Putin regime's cooperation. Russia was expelled from the Council of Europe in 2022.
The International Criminal Court has already issued arrest warrants for Putin and other officials, but Russia is not a member and does not extradite its citizens. The Council of Europe's tribunal is designed to prosecute issues beyond the ICC's jurisdiction, such as the decision to launch the invasion itself.
Twelve member states, including EU members Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Malta, have not joined. The decision came a day after a Russian missile strike on an apartment building in Kyiv killed 24 people. Zelenskyy said Ukraine would not allow such attacks to "go unpunished."
Source: www.dw.com