Zelenskyy approves plans on special tribunal to prosecute Russian
leaders over Ukraine
[June 26, 2025]
By MOLLY QUELL
THE HAGUE,
Netherlands (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy formally
approved plans Wednesday to set up a new international court to
prosecute senior Russian officials for the full-scale invasion of
Ukraine.
The special tribunal will be created through an agreement between
Ukraine and the Council of Europe, the continent’s top human rights
body. Zelenskyy visited the Strasbourg-based organization for the first
time as part of the announcement.
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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, shakes hands with Alain
Berset, secretary General of the Council of Europe, as he arrives for a
press conference at the Council of Europe after signing the legal
instruments necessary to launch the Special Tribunal for the Crime of
Aggression against Ukraine, in Strasbourg, eastern France, Wednesday,
June 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Pascal Bastien) |
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The special tribunal aims to target senior Russian leaders for
the “crime of aggression,” which underpins the countless war
crimes Ukraine accuses Russian forces of committing since the
start of the war on Feb. 24, 2022. Existing international
courts, including the International Criminal Court in The Hague
lack jurisdiction to prosecute Russian nationals for that
specific offense.
Since early in the conflict, Kyiv has been pushing for the
creation of a special tribunal that goes beyond prosecuting war
crimes that Ukraine alleged Russian forces committed — including
bombing civilian infrastructure, killing civilians, rape, taking
hostages and torture. Russia denies those accusations.
There are logistical details still to be resolved, including
where the court will be based. The Hague has been suggested
because of its existing legal infrastructure, but no final
decision has been made.
Russia doesn't extradite its own citizens, and whether or not
Russian President Vladimir Putin will ever end up in the dock
remains to be seen.
Under international law, sitting heads of state and certain
other top officials — often referred to as the “troika,”
including a country’s head of state, head of government and
foreign minister — enjoy immunity from prosecution. That means
any potential indictment of Putin could only move forward if he
leaves office.
There is no statute of limitation on the crime of aggression.
The institution will be funded by supporting countries known as
the Core Group, including the Netherlands, Japan and Canada. The
United States backed the project under former President Joe
Biden, but President Donald Trump’s administration didn't
support the initiative.
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