Strasbourg votes in favor of a special tribunal for Russia: how the votes were cast
30 April 18:12
The European Parliament has called for the immediate establishment of a Special Tribunal to prosecute Russia’s crime of aggression against Ukraine. The call was supported by 446 members, with 63 voting against and 52 abstaining. The resolution was adopted at a session in Strasbourg.
This is stated in the European Parliament’s resolution on ensuring accountability and justice in response to the continuation of Russian attacks against the civilian population of Ukraine, reports "Komersant Ukrainian".
“The European Parliament supports the establishment and swift entry into force of a Special Tribunal on the crime of aggression against Ukraine and encourages all EU member states to join it,” the text of the resolution states.
MEPs welcome the Netherlands’ commitment to host the tribunal’s initial phase and call for intensified efforts to determine the location where the court’s main proceedings will take place.
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Call for international accountability
The European Parliament emphasizes that Russian leaders and their allies must be held accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“Accountability must extend to all those who enabled the crime of aggression, including high-ranking political and military figures,” the document states.
MEPs expressed support for the International Criminal Court’s investigation into alleged war crimes in Ukraine. They reminded member states of their obligation to arrest individuals for whom the ICC has issued arrest warrants.
The Parliament expressed “grave concern” over U.S. sanctions against the ICC, which undermine the court’s work. This, according to MEPs, constitutes a serious attack on the international justice system.
The European Parliament reiterated its demand that Russia “immediately, fully, and unconditionally” cease attacks on the civilian population and infrastructure of Ukraine.
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As a reminder, Finland previously joined an agreement to establish a special tribunal for Russia regarding crimes of aggression against Ukraine.
Last June, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset signed an agreement to establish a Special Tribunal to adjudicate crimes of aggression against Ukraine.
Prior to that, on May 9, 2025, a key international meeting took place in Lviv, where foreign ministers from dozens of European countries, together with representatives of the Council of Europe, gave the political green light to the creation of the special tribunal.
Following this, the process moved into the legal phase: countries began drafting agreements, gathering support, and establishing the legal framework for the tribunal, which is planned to be located in The Hague.
The tribunal will have the status of an international body. Its work will be based on Article 8 bis of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, as well as on the provisions of UN General Assembly Resolution No. 3314.
