Too slow. It is going too slowly.

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, has stated that the legal and institutional framework for the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against the Russian Federation is already in place. What remains, he emphasised, is clear political commitment from states.

Speaking at a joint press conference with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andriy Sybiha, Berset expressed concern about the pace of progress.

“Let me be clear. Too slow. It is going too slowly. We in the Council of Europe are ready. We have done our job,” he stated.

According to Berset, the agreement on the establishment of a Special Tribunal was signed in Strasbourg in June last year between the Council of Europe and President Volodymyr Zelensky on behalf of Ukraine. Nine months later, the Council of Europe has completed the necessary preparations.

“We are ready with the legal framework, with the organisation. We have the agency. We have the funding for the agency. Now we need the clear support of the states that are involved in the implementation of this project.”

The Secretary General underlined that progress now depends on the political will of governments participating in the process.

“Nothing happens without the strong commitment of the states that are ready to do it.”

Berset called for the Council of Europe to be actively engaged at the highest political level, including within discussions of the so-called “Coalition of the Willing,” to ensure that the issue of the Special Tribunal is addressed directly by heads of state and government.

“We must be able to participate in all the discussions of the Coalition of the Willing, we must be at the highest level, addressing heads of state and convincing them how important it is to move forward.”

His remarks reinforce the message highlighted during the recent Justice Conference in Kyiv: the legal architecture for accountability is advancing, but sustained political leadership is essential to ensure the launch of a functioning Special Tribunal.

NGO Tribunal continues to advocate for decisive international action to ensure that accountability for the crime of aggression becomes an operational reality rather than a delayed commitment.