The European Union and the Council of Europe have agreed to establish and fund an advance team that will lay the foundations for a Special Tribunal tasked with prosecuting the
crime of aggression against Ukraine.
Under a newly signed financing agreement, the two institutions will support the creation of a preparatory body—known as the Special Tribunal Advance Team (STAT)—operating within the framework of the Council of Europe. The move marks a concrete step toward holding senior political and military leaders accountable for launching and waging the war against Ukraine.
The advance team’s mandate is to handle the essential institutional, legal, and logistical groundwork needed before the tribunal can formally begin its work. This includes preparing for the selection and election of judges and a prosecutor, drafting the tribunal’s rules of procedure and evidence, and setting up a modern court management system.
The Council of Europe will manage the joint project, drawing on its long-standing experience in international law and judicial cooperation. Beyond technical preparation, the advance team will also engage with international partners and stakeholders to strengthen political and diplomatic backing for the tribunal.
Financially, the European Union will contribute €10 million to the STAT project through the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, underscoring the EU’s commitment to accountability for international crimes committed in Ukraine.
The project is expected to run for up to 24 months. Its work may conclude earlier if long-term funding becomes available through a future Enlarged Partial Agreement governing the management of the Special Tribunal.
Together, EU and Council of Europe officials say the initiative is designed to ensure that, once formally established, the Special Tribunal can operate swiftly, credibly, and in line with international standards of justice.
Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission said:
“Unpunished crimes only encourage future atrocities. The European Union’s release of the first €10 million to help set up a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine is a concrete step towards justice. Russia’s leaders are responsible for this war, and they must be held accountable. There can be no impunity”.
Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection said:
“Our support for Ukraine is unwavering. The Special Tribunal is essential to ensuring a just and lasting peace by holding Russia accountable for its crime of aggression. There can be no durable peace without justice, and no justice without accountability. Today, we move one step closer to turning these principles into action”.
Alain Berset, Council of Europe Secretary General added:
“Today’s agreement is a major step towards ensuring justice and accountability for the people of Ukraine, without which there can be no lasting peace. The Council of Europe will determinedly work together with the European Union and other key partners around the world to uphold the values that we hold dear, to ensure respect for international law and to make sure that violence and impunity do not prevail”. Photo by Kyivcity.gov.ua, Wikimedia commons.