The European Union has taken a major step toward holding Russia accountable for its invasion of Ukraine, formally joining the agreement that will establish a Special Tribunal to
prosecute senior Russian officials for the crime of aggression.
On behalf of the EU, the European Commission on Friday signed the Enlarged Partial Agreement that defines the tribunal’s institutional, financial and administrative framework. The move clears the way for participating states and organisations to ratify the convention that will officially create the court.
Once operational, the tribunal will be empowered to investigate and prosecute top Russian political and military leaders accused of orchestrating the war against Ukraine.
In parallel, the Commission also ratified the convention establishing the International Claims Commission for Ukraine, making the EU a founding member of the body tasked with assessing compensation claims linked to Russia’s invasion.
The Claims Commission will review cases involving damage, injury and financial losses suffered by Ukraine and its citizens, and determine compensation awards for each claim. The body can begin operating once 25 ratifications are secured alongside adequate financial backing.
To accelerate the launch of both institutions, the European Commission pledged financial support of €10 million for the Special Tribunal and up to €1 million for the Claims Commission.
EU officials described the two mechanisms as central pillars in the international effort to secure justice for crimes committed during the conflict and to provide reparations for victims.
Brussels has played a leading role in shaping both institutions, including drafting the legal foundations of the Special Tribunal. The tribunal’s founding documents received political backing from an international coalition of states and organisations on 9 May 2025.
The Commission said it would continue working with international partners to finalise arrangements for the tribunal before proposing that the EU formally join as a founding member.
Preparatory talks on the Claims Commission are scheduled for June, when signatories will meet to establish practical procedures ahead of the body’s launch.
The Claims Commission builds on the work of the Register of Damage, created in May 2023 to document war-related claims ranging from serious injury and unlawful detention to sexual violence, housing destruction and the deportation of children. Ukrainians can currently file claims across 18 categories of damages through the register.
The EU has also expanded support for international accountability efforts through the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine at Eurojust, assistance to Ukrainian prosecutors via the EU Advisory Mission, and additional funding for the International Criminal Court to strengthen investigative and analytical capabilities related to crimes committed during the war. Photo by Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Kharkiv Oblast, Wikimedia commons.