The Council of Europe has prepared to establish a Special Tribunal for crimes of aggression against Ukraine. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Claude Berset, noted that the preparatory work has been completed and the Tribunal could potentially begin its work immediately.
On June 25, 2025, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, signed an agreement with the Council of Europe regarding the establishment of the Tribunal in Strasbourg. Alain Berset believes it is a very important step for Europe and Ukraine as a whole.
The Council of Europe is activating an advanced team to prepare all necessary elements, including legal, infrastructural, and personnel aspects. Currently, efforts are being made to find funding for this stage.
The launch of the Tribunal, according to Berset, depends on the political will of the states. The Council of Europe is ready to start working but needs support from the member states in funding and ratifying the agreement.
For the launch, it is necessary for many countries to join the process, allocate funds, and approve an extended agreement on judicial investigations.
Alain Berset emphasized that the exact date for the start of the Tribunal's work in 2026 is not yet foreseeable, as it all depends on the participation and support of the member states of the Council of Europe.
Preparatory work for the launch of the Special Tribunal for crimes of aggression against Ukraine has been completed, but the issues of political will from the participating countries and the necessary support for the process, both financially and legally, remain open. This initiative could become an important step in the fight against crimes against international law in Europe.