The Council of the European Union has officially approved the establishment of a Special Tribunal to address Russia’s acts of aggression against Ukraine. This decision was confirmed by an EU diplomat and follows a series of discussions and endorsements within the EU framework.
On April 29, 2026, EU ambassadors expressed their support for the Extended Partial Agreement concerning the management committee of the Special Tribunal. Subsequently, the European Parliament urged for the tribunal’s swift initiation on April 30, calling on all EU member states to join the initiative.
Next steps are scheduled for May 14-15 in Chișinău, where the Council of Europe will finalize an agreement regarding the tribunal’s governing committee. Currently, 25 EU countries are prepared to participate in this initiative.
The push for a Special Tribunal gained momentum following NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly designation of Russia as a terrorist state on November 21, 2022. This assembly also backed a resolution advocating for the tribunal’s creation, which still requires individual national approvals from member states.
On November 8, 2023, Ukraine’s parliament passed a bill to establish a Register of Damages caused by Russia, aimed at protecting the rights of Ukrainian citizens and facilitating compensation mechanisms for war-related losses.
The Office of the Register of Damages was inaugurated in Kyiv on March 22, 2024, with a small team set to begin accepting compensation claims, starting with those related to destroyed housing.
On May 9, 2025, EU foreign ministers and senior officials endorsed the tribunal’s launch, which will operate from The Hague. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaia Kallas, has indicated that the tribunal is expected to deliver its first rulings by 2026.
On May 14, the Council of Europe reaffirmed its support for the tribunal’s establishment, with over 40 countries now part of the coalition. A significant milestone occurred on June 25, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, Alena Berse, signed an agreement to create the tribunal. The final statute of the tribunal was subsequently published on the Council of Europe’s website.
On July 15, 2025, the Ukrainian parliament ratified the agreement with the Council of Europe concerning the tribunal’s establishment, marking a critical step in the ongoing efforts to hold Russia accountable for its actions against Ukraine.
The EU Council has approved the creation of a Special Tribunal to address Russian aggression against Ukraine, with significant support from member states. This initiative follows a series of legislative measures and international endorsements aimed at ensuring accountability for war crimes.