The establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine reached a milestone on 25 June 2025 with the signing of a bilateral agreement between the Council of Europe and Ukraine. Designed to bridge the jurisdictional gaps of the International Criminal Court, this new judicial body aims to hold senior Russian political and military leaders accountable for the crime of aggression. Supported by the European Union and the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression (ICPA), the initiative is now entering a critical phase, with the launch of the Special Tribunal Advance Team (STAT) set to prepare its legal and logistical foundations.

Despite this momentum, significant hurdles remain before the Tribunal becomes fully operational. Finalising an Enlarged Partial Agreement will be essential to secure the necessary financial and political backing. Furthermore, the initiative continues to spark debate surrounding key legal and practical challenges, including questions on official immunities, the enforcement of arrest warrants and the need to build a broader international coalition for justice that extends beyond Europe.

Hosted by Member of the European Parliament Reinis Pozņaks, this event will bring together policymakers, legal experts and stakeholders to discuss the next steps towards launching the Tribunal and the EU’s role in sustaining its progress. Discussions will focus on how to navigate the remaining legal constraints and ensure that the international community delivers a credible and effective mechanism for accountability for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. 

Participation is open to EPC members, invited guests, EU and international officials, and the media. 

For media enquiries, please contact media@epc.eu.

For other queries, please contact events@epc.eu.