European Parliament Urges EU to Join and Operationalise Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling on the European Union to urgently join and finalise the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, reinforcing growing international efforts to ensure accountability for Russia’s war.

The resolution, titled “Ensuring accountability and justice in response to Russia’s ongoing attacks against civilians in Ukraine,” was adopted on 30 April during a plenary session in Strasbourg with 446 votes in favour, 63 against, and 52 abstentions.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) called for the swift operationalisation of the tribunal and urged all EU Member States to participate in its creation. The resolution underscores that Russia’s war of aggression constitutes a grave violation of international law and stresses that those responsible must be held accountable.

According to the Parliament, accountability should extend to all individuals capable of directing or enabling the crime of aggression, including senior political, military, and judicial leadership. This explicitly includes members of Russia’s State Duma and the Constitutional Court.

The resolution also reaffirms strong support for ongoing investigations by the International Criminal Court into alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed in Ukraine. MEPs reminded EU Member States of their obligations under the Rome Statute to arrest and surrender individuals subject to ICC arrest warrants.

In addition, the European Parliament endorsed the EU’s 20th package of sanctions against Russia, emphasising that sanctions should remain in place until a peace agreement is signed and fully implemented.

On the same day, the Parliament also ratified the EU’s accession to an international claims mechanism aimed at facilitating future reparations payments to Ukraine and its citizens.

The resolution comes amid increasing international support for the Special Tribunal initiative. Several countries have recently announced their intention to join the agreement, further expanding the coalition backing accountability for the crime of aggression.

The establishment of the Special Tribunal remains a central element in closing the accountability gap in international law and ensuring justice for Ukraine.