EU, G7 in Talks on Special Tribunal for Russian Crime of Aggression

The European Union continues to discuss with the Group of Seven the opportunities for setting up a special tribunal to prosecute Russia for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

That’s according to European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders, who spoke with Kyodo News.

"We'll continue, maybe during the Japanese presidency (of the G-7) to see whether it's possible to have the same approach about a proposal. What is at stake now is the crime of aggression," he said.

Reynders said the European Union, in cooperation with Ukrainian judicial authorities and the International Criminal Court, is considering the establishment of a special tribunal or a hybrid tribunal involving Ukrainian and international judges to prosecute Russia for the crime of aggression.

According to the ICC treaty, the crime of aggression is different from war crimes or crimes against humanity.

The crime of aggression is generally only committed by those with the power to shape a state's policy of aggression. War crimes are defined as murder, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture in the conduct of armed conflict.

The ICC is also investigating Russia for alleged crimes against humanity or genocide, but the process is expected to take considerable time.

The ministers of justice of the G7 countries - Great Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States - and the European Union during the meeting in Tokyo, scheduled for July 7, plan, among other things, to discuss ways to bring to justice Russia’s leadership and citizens suspected of war crimes , committed in Ukraine during the war unleashed by Moscow.

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President Volodymyr Zelensky believes that a special tribunal to prosecute the Russian leadership for aggression against Ukraine will be created after the war ends. Work is currently underway on designing its format and drafting the text of the corresponding UN resolution.