On April 14, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced that Iceland and Poland have confirmed their willingness to join the Extended Partial Agreement on the Special Tribunal regarding Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. This brings the total number of confirmations to 17, surpassing the legal minimum required from Council of Europe member states to bring the agreement to a vote.
Sybiha shared this update on social media, indicating that the Extended Partial Agreement can now be presented for consideration and approval at the upcoming ministerial meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, scheduled for May 14-15 in Chișinău.
“Criminals in Moscow must realize that justice is inevitable. From ordinary Russian perpetrators to the highest military and political leadership,” Sybiha stated.
The Foreign Minister highlighted that since the launch of the tribunal initiative by European foreign ministers in Lviv on May 9, 2025, significant legal preparations have been made to facilitate its establishment within a year.
Sybiha also noted that Ukraine will continue to gather signatures from countries to join the agreement, both within the Council of Europe and beyond, across all continents.
Background on the Special Tribunal for Russian Aggression
The NATO Parliamentary Assembly recognized Russia as a terrorist state on November 21, 2022, and supported a resolution advocating for the establishment of a Special Tribunal to address the acts of Russian aggression. However, this resolution requires individual national support from each member state.
On November 8, 2023, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed a bill to create a Register of Damages caused by Russia. This legislation aims to protect the rights and interests of Ukraine and its citizens, allowing for the documentation of war-related damages and facilitating compensation mechanisms.
On March 22, 2024, an office for the Register of Damages was inaugurated in Kyiv, staffed by approximately ten legal and communication professionals. This office is set to begin accepting compensation claims, starting with those related to destroyed housing, according to Markiyan Klyuchkovskyi, the executive director of the Register.
On May 9, 2025, EU foreign ministers and senior officials approved the launch of the special tribunal focused on the military-political leadership of Russia regarding its actions against Ukraine.
The tribunal will operate in The Hague. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, has indicated that initial rulings from the tribunal are anticipated by 2026.
On May 14, the Council of Europe endorsed the establishment of the Special Tribunal on Russian aggression, with over 40 countries now part of the coalition.
On June 25, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alena Berse, signed an agreement to create the tribunal. The final version of the tribunal’s statute was subsequently published on the Council of Europe’s website.
On July 15, 2025, the Ukrainian parliament ratified the agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe regarding the establishment of the Special Tribunal for Russian aggression.
The confirmation from Iceland and Poland to join the Special Tribunal on Russian aggression marks a significant step in international efforts to hold Russia accountable. With over 40 countries now involved, the tribunal is poised to begin its work in The Hague, with initial rulings expected by 2026.