Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a new agreement with the Council of Europe to create a tribunal that will prosecute senior Russian officials for launching and continuing the war in Ukraine.
The agreement was signed on Wednesday in Strasbourg, France, where the Council of Europe is based.
Zelensky was joined by Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, for the signing.
The tribunal will focus on the crime of aggression—defined as the use of armed force by one state against another.
This marks the first time the Council of Europe has created such a legal body.
Zelensky said the tribunal is essential to holding Russia’s leadership accountable for the 2022 invasion that has devastated Ukraine for over three years.
Sharing the information via X, he wrote: “The Tribunal, formally launched today, creates a real opportunity to hold the leadership of the Russian regime accountable for the crimes committed against our state and our people.
“We will continue working to ensure justice for all victims. Criminals must face trial in The Hague and be punished.”
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has already issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and others.
Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, are accused of illegally deporting Ukrainian children from occupied territories to Russia.
Alain Berset praised the agreement, stating: “This historic signature reminds us that international law must apply to all – with no exceptions, and with no double standards.”
In March 2024, the ICC also charged two senior Russian military officers.
Viktor Sokolov, a former commander of the Black Sea Fleet, and Lieutenant General Sergei Kobylash face charges for excessive civilian harm and inhumane acts.
Meanwhile, peace talks have made little progress.
Negotiations involving Ukraine, Russia, and third-party mediators—especially from the Trump administration—have stalled.
Russia’s latest proposal has been criticized as an attempt to force Ukraine into capitulation.
Ukrainian officials say Russia refuses to compromise and continues its military assault on civilian areas.
In just two days—Monday and Tuesday—Russian forces reportedly killed dozens of civilians in missile strikes.
Officials say it was one of the deadliest 48-hour periods in months.
ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then