Iryna Nesterova19:43, 05.05.25

There is now a draft statute that fully regulates “all the rules of the special tribunal’s work, organizationally, functionally, and legally,” said Iryna Mudra.

A special tribunal on the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine may start operating as early as next year, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Iryna Mudra announced, Ukrinform reports .

Answering a question about the timing of the start of the tribunal’s work, the official noted that the process may be lengthy, but the parties already have a clear understanding of the process of establishing the tribunal in The Hague.

“The special tribunal may start operating next year. This year we are finishing the legal framework and starting to form the special tribunal: recruiting judges, a secretariat, implementing rules and regulations, and procedures. But the main thing is that justice for those who commit the crime of aggression against Ukraine is inevitable,” Mudra emphasized.

According to her, legal work will continue in 2025. As of now, the deputy head of the OP reported, “there is already a draft statute that fully regulates all the rules of the special tribunal’s work organizationally, functionally, and legally.”

“The special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine is being created in fact in two years. This is quite fast, considering the very complex and sensitive issues on which a compromise had to be sought,” Mudra explained.

In addition, she spoke about the details of the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Coalition of States to politically approve the creation of a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine on May 9.

“All the work that has been carried out so far by legal advisors from 40 states and which resulted in the development of a package of documents will receive political support. This will be an expression of political support for the further transfer of all the developments to the Council of Europe for actual implementation. That is, the Council of Europe will take the necessary steps to create a special tribunal,” the official said.

Creation of a Special Tribunal for the Russian Federation: what is known

As UNIAN previously reported, in early February, Brussels said that they want to complete the process of creating the founding statute of the Special Tribunal for the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine in 2025. After the 13th meeting of the Core Group on the establishment of the tribunal, its participants announced significant progress in this direction.

In March, it was reported that the Council of the EU had entered the final stage of establishing a special tribunal for Russian crimes in Ukraine. As stated by the Secretary General of the Council, Alain Berset, the group of states working within the Council of Europe on the establishment of the tribunal had completed the formation of legal documents necessary for its launch.

The security agreement between Ukraine and the Netherlands signed in the spring of 2024 stated that the future special tribunal on the crime of aggression of the Russian Federation would be located in The Hague . 

(c)UNIAN 2025