Switzerland and 35 other states, including the European Union, have announced their intention to join the new Enlarged Partial Agreement on the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has taken another practical step towards launching the Special Tribunal on the crime of aggression against Ukraine. During the Council of Europe Ministerial Session held today in Chisinau, a decision was adopted approving the Enlarged Partial Agreement on the establishment of the Steering Committee of the Special Tribunal — one of the key elements of its institutional architecture.

Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, described the decision as an important stage in moving from political agreements to the practical launch of the mechanism of international accountability for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

“We are consistently moving towards the full launch of the Special Tribunal. This is another signal that the international community is determined to ensure the inevitability of accountability for the crime of aggression,” the Minister stressed.

The Minister also expressed gratitude to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, the member states of the Council of Europe, and the European Union for supporting the establishment of the Special Tribunal.

The adoption of the decision became possible following notifications by 34 Council of Europe member states, the European Union, Costa Rica, and Australia of their intention to join the Agreement.

The Enlarged Partial Agreement remains open not only to Council of Europe member states but also to third countries, creating additional opportunities for broader international support for the Special Tribunal.