36 countries joined the agreement (Australia, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Great Britain, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Iceland, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Cyprus, Costa Rica, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Moldova, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovenia, Ukraine, Finland, France, Croatia, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Estonia) and, separately as an institution, the European Union.
— These countries have taken a decisive step towards the actual creation of the Special Tribunal and the recognition of responsibility for aggression against Ukraine. The time to hold Russia accountable for its aggression is fast approaching, said Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
There are preliminary arrangements for a “tribunal for Putin”
States must now complete their national procedures for joining the tribunal. Then the process of its actual creation will begin: the election of judges and a prosecutor and the approval of the court's work regulations. The management committee should meet at least once a year.
The Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine was unofficially called the “Putin Tribunal”. The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe announced the start of the process of establishing it in May 2025. However, the Court will not be able to judge the President of Russia, the Prime Minister or the Minister of Foreign Affairs as long as they hold office. Prosecuting them is prohibited by the tribunal's statute. Theoretically, other Russian officials and military officials could face trial.
