Special tribunal for Russia could begin next year

This was reported to Ukrinform by the Deputy Head of the President’s Office, Iryna Mudra.

"The special tribunal could start working as early as next year. This year, we are finishing the legal framework and beginning to form the special tribunal: appointing judges, establishing the secretariat, implementing rules and procedures. But most importantly, justice for those committing the crime of aggression against Ukraine is inevitable," she said.

According to her, a draft statute has already been developed, which outlines the rules and procedures for the tribunal's operation.

"The special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine will be created in fact in two years. This is quite fast, considering the very complex and sensitive issues on which compromises had to be found," said the OP representative.

The tribunal is being created in The Hague, and despite the complexity of the process, the parties already have a shared vision for its launch, Mudra emphasized.

• On April 20, 2024, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe instructed the Secretary-General to begin preparing documents to facilitate consultations with Ukraine on the creation of the special tribunal for Russia's crimes.
• In February 2025, the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, expressed hope that the Special Tribunal for Russia would be launched this year. For this, it is necessary to create the structure and provide resources.
• On March 21, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced that key legal documents for the creation of the special tribunal for Russia were completed in Strasbourg.