How many countries supported the Special Tribunal for the Russian Federation?
Ukraine plans to legally finalize the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression by the Russian Federation by May. The necessary number of participating countries is already in place to launch the mechanism.
This was stated by Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga, as reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a telethon broadcast.
Read also: Estonia joins the establishment of a special tribunal for Russian crimes
Details of the tribunal’s establishment
According to the Foreign Minister, after the recent meeting of EU foreign ministers in Kyiv, the number of states willing to join the agreement has increased.
Currently, 16 countries have provided preliminary confirmation of their participation, which is the necessary legal minimum to start.
The process of finalizing the agreements is expected to take place during the meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which will be held in Chișinău.
“We need 16 countries. We already have preliminary confirmation from that number of countries, but they are going through the necessary procedures. This is important, as the next significant step in creating the Special Tribunal is the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Council of Europe in Chișinău in May,” Sibiga emphasized.
The minister added that the goal of the Ukrainian side is to arrive at the May meeting with a ready legal-formal basis for establishing the tribunal.
Preparation for the Special Tribunal
Let us remind you, the international coalition for the establishment of a tribunal for the Kremlin’s leadership is actively expanding. In particular, on March 23, 2026, Estonia officially joined the Extended Partial Agreement on the Management Committee of the future body.
Additionally, Sweden confirmed its readiness to join the mechanism for punishing the Russian Federation for the crime of aggression. In Stockholm, they emphasized the importance of the inevitability of punishment for Russian officials.
The process of creating the special tribunal transitioned into practical and legal dimensions in the summer of 2025. At that time, during a meeting of the PACE, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset signed a historic agreement that laid the legal foundation for addressing the crimes of aggression against Ukraine.
