Foreign Minister Tsahkna to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe: Swift progress needed on launching the special tribunal
Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs
21.10.2025 | 11:23
On 20 October, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna held a telephone conversation with Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, to discuss the establishment of a special tribunal for prosecuting the crime of aggression committed against Ukraine and bringing those responsible to justice.
"Russia's aggression, now in its fourth year, has inflicted immeasurable suffering on Ukraine. It is the duty of the international community to ensure that the perpetrators of the gravest international crime — the crime of aggression — do not go unpunished, but are brought before a court of law," Tsahkna stated during the call.
According to the Foreign Minister, a major milestone was reached in June this year when Ukraine and the Council of Europe signed an agreement to establish the special tribunal, along with its statute. Under the agreement, the tribunal will be set up under the auspices of the Council of Europe to address the crime of aggression committed against Ukraine.
"We must now move swiftly to make the tribunal operational," Tsahkna urged.
The special tribunal will enable the prosecution of the crime of aggression against Ukraine and hold perpetrators accountable. The founding documents of the tribunal were prepared by a core group of legal experts from 40 countries, as well as from the European Union and the Council of Europe — including Estonia. The tribunal will complement the work of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is investigating crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Ukraine. The special tribunal will focus specifically on the crime of aggression.
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