EU to become co-founder of special tribunal for Putin

The European Union has decided to join the founding members of a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

On 5 May, the Council of the European Union approved a decision for the EU to sign the Enlarged Partial Agreement on the special tribunal concerning Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The tribunal will target senior Russian political and military leadership, including Vladimir Putin.

The approval means the EU will sign the agreement once it is adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

At a later stage, once a sufficient number of Council of Europe member states have declared their intention to join the Enlarged Partial Agreement, the European Commission will submit a proposal to the Council of the EU to conclude the agreement.

The Council of the EU will then seek consent from the European Parliament.

Following parliamentary approval and ratification, the EU will formally sign the agreement and join the tribunal as a co-founder.

The EU is expected to play a leading role in the tribunal's work and to join its management committee.

The special tribunal will have a mandate to prosecute top political and military leaders for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. It is being established under the auspices of the Council of Europe following a 25 June 2025 agreement with Ukraine.

A total of 24 countries – most recently Belgium – have declared their intention to join the Enlarged Partial Agreement on the special tribunal to investigate Russia's crime of aggression against Ukraine.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the agreement will be put to a vote at a meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 14-15 May in Chisinau.