TL:DR – Council of Europe urges European nations to fund Ukraine Special Tribunal
• Alain Berset, head of the Council of Europe, emphasised the need for European nations to financially support the Special Tribunal for Ukraine to prosecute crimes of aggression.
• The Council of Europe signed an agreement with Ukraine in June to establish this tribunal, targeting senior Kremlin officials.
• Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, proposed the tribunal be located in The Hague.
• The European Union committed €10 million last month, but additional funding is still required.
• Berset stated that accountability is crucial in ongoing peace talks, reflecting on a US-backed peace plan’s failure to address this.
Council of Europe chief calls for political and financial backing of Ukraine Special Tribunal
European nations urged to support tribunal for Ukraine
European nations need to provide budgetary support for a special international court designed to prosecute individuals responsible for crimes of aggression in Ukraine, according to Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Berset made this statement during an interview with Euronews amid ongoing US-led peace settlement discussions.
The call for support is critical now as recent fundraising efforts for the tribunal have faced challenges due to the United States’ withdrawal from international institutions, increasing pressure on European nations to contribute. The Special Tribunal aims to hold senior Kremlin officials, including President Vladimir Putin, accountable for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Agreement signed to establish Special Tribunal
The Council of Europe, based in Strasbourg, signed an agreement with Ukraine to establish the Special Tribunal last June. This arrangement aims to address the legal gaps left by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which cannot prosecute the crime of aggression independently.
Berset emphasised the importance of accountability, stating, “When you have aggression, there is accountability. When you have destruction and suffering, there is accountability.” He also noted the need for countries to show political will in joining accountability efforts.
Financial challenges and planned contributions
The Council of Europe has indicated that the initial draft budget for the tribunal is approximately €75 million per year. Last month, the European Union signed a contract to provide the tribunal’s first €10 million, though further financial contributions have yet to materialise.
Berset explained, “We need to have clear views on the costs and budgets – and to have a clear support for the budget, because the Council of Europe is definitely not able to do this alone.” Any country outside of the Council of Europe’s 46 members can also participate in the Special Tribunal.
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