On Europe Day on May 9, foreign ministers and diplomats from European countries arrived in Lviv, including EU High Representative Kaia Kallas and Germany's new Foreign Minister Johannes Wadeful. In total, 35 delegations from the European Union and other countries gathered in the city.
Points of attention
- The joint statement by EU countries highlights the creation of a special tribunal in The Hague to investigate war crimes by senior Russian officials against Ukraine.
- The Lviv Declaration marks a significant step towards holding high-ranking Russian officials accountable for crimes, including the President, Prime Minister, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia.
- The tribunal, set to begin work in 2026, is the result of more than 2 years of efforts by a coalition of states, including representatives from the EU, the Council of Europe, and Ukrainian authorities.
Special Tribunal for Russia to Start Working in The Hague
The key event was the adoption of a political decision on a special tribunal to investigate the crimes of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
During a meeting of the War Crimes Group coalition of states, which is working on the creation of a special tribunal for senior Russian officials responsible for the murders of Ukrainians, mass destruction and other war crimes, representatives of the EU, the Council of Europe and the Ukrainian authorities adopted the Lviv Declaration. It gives a start, and the upcoming signing of an agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe will put the final point in the launch of the tribunal.
These are high-ranking Russian officials who made decisions about crimes, in particular about the responsibility of the so-called President of Russia, as well as the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
As noted during the meeting in Lviv, the creation of the tribunal took more than 2 years. A group of experts was created, which participants can still join.
The tribunal will be in The Hague. Work will now begin on it with the Council of Europe, which will be the central element of the process.
Next week, a formal procedural approval of this process will take place in Luxembourg. An agreement between the Council of Europe and Ukraine is planned. This will put the final point in creating the legal infrastructure for the establishment of the tribunal. The special tribunal is expected to start work in 2026.
