EU to officially join agreement on Special Tribunal for Russia's crime of aggression – Sybiha

The European Union has just officially notified the Council of Europe of its intention to join the Enlarged Partial Agreement on the Management Committee of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, reported Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha.

"I thank the EU, my colleagues Kaja Kallas and Michael McGrath for their principles, strength, and leadership. It is necessary to hold the leadership of Russia fully accountable, as well as all those responsible, and bring them to justice," Sybiha said on social media X.

It was previously reported that 32 states have already joined the agreement. On May 14-15 in Chisinau, the Council of Europe is expected to take the next step toward launching the Special Tribunal by concluding an agreement on its management committee.

According to the Office of the President, after the preparatory stages are completed, the tribunal should move to full-scale operations: investigations, indictments, court proceedings, and sentencing for the crime of aggression.

The next stages of work on the Special Tribunal include:

Phase 1 (Skeleton Tribunal) – a transitional stage. A "framework" for the institution is being formed in The Hague: 15 judges are selected for the registry, a registrar is appointed, core staff are gradually recruited, procedural rules are approved, international cooperation agreements are concluded, and administrative and technical infrastructure is created. At this stage, the tribunal does not yet administer justice but completes preparations for a full launch.

Phase 2 (Full-fledged Tribunal) – the full functioning of the Special Tribunal. After the preparatory stages, the institution moves to exercise its jurisdiction: investigations, indictments, court proceedings, and sentencing for the crime of aggression begin. By this point, all key bodies must be formed, and permanent premises, security infrastructure, and international cooperation mechanisms necessary for the effective administration of justice must be ensured.

Ukraine expects the Special Tribunal to be fully operational as early as next year. The EU Council has adopted a decision allowing the European Union to become a founding member of the Special Tribunal. This mechanism will mark the first time since the Nuremberg trials that states have worked in a coordinated manner on accountability for the crime of aggression.