Thirty-Four European States Join Accord for Ukraine Aggression Tribunal

Thirty-four of the Council of Europe's 46 member states, along with Australia, Costa Rica and the European Union, said on May 15, 2026 that they would join a future special tribunal for Ukraine to prosecute Russia over its invasion of the country. The Council of Ministers, which comprises foreign ministers from the organization's 46 member states, approved a resolution laying the groundwork for the tribunal.

The body is based in France and includes the EU's 27 countries as well as other European states such as Turkey, Britain and Ukraine. Russia was expelled from the Council of Europe in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed an accord with the Council of Europe in 2025 to create the legal body.

The tribunal is intended to prosecute the crime of aggression related to the invasion Russia launched in 2022. It could in theory try senior Russian figures. >The special tribunal represents justice and hope. — Council of Europe statement (Le Monde) The International Criminal Court in The Hague has issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin over the abduction of Ukrainian children and for four of his top commanders for targeting civilians.

The ICC does not have jurisdiction, however, to prosecute the fundamental decision to launch the invasion.

Europe member states have not yet joined the tribunal agreement. These include European Union members Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Malta as well as four Balkan countries: Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Albania. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey have also not signed on.

The tribunal was initially intended to start work in 2026. Kyiv and its supporters have sought justice for Russia's war through this mechanism. The Council of Europe acts as a guardian of human rights and democracy across the continent.