Special tribunal for crime of aggression against Ukraine ready for launch – Mudra

Iryna Mudra, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, stated this in a comment to Ukrinform.

When asked about the timeframe for the special tribunal’s launch, Mudra acknowledged that the process could be lengthy. However, she emphasized that all parties now have a clear understanding of the steps required to establish the tribunal in The Hague

“The special tribunal could begin work as early as next year. This year, we are finalizing the legal framework and starting to form the special tribunal—recruiting judges, establishing a secretariat, and implementing rules, regulations, and procedures. Most importantly, justice for those who commit the crime of aggression against Ukraine is inevitable,” Mudra emphasized.

She added that legal work on the tribunal will continue in 2025.

“In particular, a draft charter is already in place, fully outlining the organizational, functional, and legal framework of the special tribunal. The special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine is being set up in just two years. This is quite fast, given the complexity and sensitivity of the issues that required compromise,” she said.

Mudra also shared details about the upcoming May 9 meeting of foreign ministers from the Coalition of States, where they are expected to politically approve the tribunal’s establishment.

“All the work that has been carried out so far by legal advisers from 40 countries, which resulted in the package of documents, will receive political support. This will be an expression of political support for the further transfer of all developments to the Council of Europe for formal implementation. In other words, the Council of Europe will take the necessary steps to establish a special tribunal,” said Mudra.

As reported by Ukrinform, Foreign Minister of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha called for the completion of the final steps needed to establish a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine within the Council of Europe.

Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe, Borys Tarasyuk, predicts that work on the tribunal’s charter will be finalized soon. He stated that the vote on the joint agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe, which will form the legal foundation of the tribunal, along with its official establishment, is expected to take place in May.

In addition, Mariia Mezentseva-Fedorenko, MP and head of Ukraine’s delegation to PACE, suggested during a program hosted by Ihor Dolhov on Ukrinform’s YouTube channel that an agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe on establishing a special tribunal for the crime of aggression could be signed as early as May 9.

In April, during the international conference “Restoring Justice for Ukraine” in The Hague, 44 states issued a special declaration calling for strengthening joint efforts to ensure a proper investigation of Russian crimes committed in the war against Ukraine and to hold Russia accountable for all violations of international law.