EU Agrees on Tribunal Project to Prosecute Putin for 'Crime of Aggression'

The European Union announced that an agreement has been reached among experts from 37 countries regarding the 'legal framework for establishing a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.' The statement was made after a meeting in Brussels, as reported by NewsBox.

'The crime of aggression' refers to a separate offense that involves planning, preparation, initiation, or execution of an aggressive war against another state. Unlike war crimes and crimes against humanity, which can be charged against individual participants from both sides of a conflict, the 'crime of aggression' can only be attributed to the senior leadership of a country that decided to launch an attack, reports BBC.

'When Russia decided to roll its tanks across Ukraine's borders, violating the UN Charter, it committed one of the gravest offenses: the crime of aggression. Now, justice awaits. Justice for Ukraine,' emphasized European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The idea of establishing a special tribunal for the 'crime of aggression' against Ukraine is also supported by the British Labour Party in its election manifesto.

The plan is for the special tribunal to operate independently of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Despite widespread support for the initiative, there are critics among legal experts who, while acknowledging the criminal nature of Russia's war against Ukraine, express doubts about the effectiveness and legitimacy of creating such a tribunal.