**Global Leaders Move Forward with Tribunal to Prosecute Russian Leadership**
A group of 38 countries has announced that they have made “significant progress” towards setting up a special tribunal to hold Russia’s top leaders accountable for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. This coalition includes all members of the European Union.
The EU‘s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said that no one in Russian leadership is above the law. She emphasized that waiting was not an option and that action must be taken quickly. Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, agreed, saying that the goal was to complete the work by this year.
**Drafting Tribunal’s Rules**
Legal experts are working on a document that will define the tribunal’s powers. This draft is expected to be signed in April at a meeting of coalition members. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has already issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and another high-ranking official, Maria Lvova-Belova.
**Ukrainian Authorities Document War Crimes**
The Ukrainian government has documented thousands of war crimes committed by Russian forces, including attacks on civilians and cultural sites. These crimes also include torture and forced deportations of Ukrainian children to Russia.
**Previous ICC Actions**
In 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for two Russian military commanders for their roles in strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during the winter of 2022-2023. The crime of aggression is a charge that can only be brought against the top leadership of an aggressor state, unlike war crimes and genocide.
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