36 countries sign agreement establishing ‘tribunal for Putin’

The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, meeting in Chisinau, approved an agreement to establish a steering committee for the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.

36 countries signed on, as did the European Union as an institution.

“These states have taken a decisive step towards the actual establishment of the Special Tribunal and the recognition of responsibilities for the aggression against Ukraine. The Special Tribunal represents justice and hope. Action now needs to be taken to follow up on this political commitment by securing the Tribunal’s functioning and funding. The time for Russia to be held to account for its aggression is fast approaching,” said Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset.

Each country must now complete its domestic procedures to formally join the tribunal. After that, the work of actually establishing it can begin — selecting judges and a prosecutor and adopting the court’s rules of procedure. The steering committee is required to meet at least once a year.

The Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine has been informally dubbed the “tribunal for Putin.” The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers announced the launch of the process to establish this tribunal in May 2025. However, the tribunal will not be able to try Russia’s president, prime minister, or foreign minister while they remain in office. The tribunal’s statute prohibits bringing charges against them. Other Russian officials and military personnel could, in theory, face prosecution.