The EU experts finalize work on the main document of the special tribunal for Russia

The European Union experts are completing work on the main legal text of the Special Tribunal for the Investigation of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine — the "draft Schuman Statute".

This was stated by the High Representative of the European Union Kaja Kallas at a briefing after the 13th meeting of the Core Group on the Establishment of a Special Tribunal to Investigate the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.

This document will regulate the functioning of the special tribunal.

"Once the special tribunal is operational, the Ukrainian authorities will be able to transfer ongoing domestic investigations and prosecutions related to the crime of aggression to the prosecutor of the special tribunal. And in this process, Ukraine will also send relevant evidence to the tribunal, including information collected by the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression," said Michael McGrath, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection.

The European Commission also adopted a recommendation to the Council of the EU to engage in formal negotiations on the establishment of an International Claims Commission for Ukraine. This commission will be responsible for examining, assessing and deciding on admissible claims registered in the Register of Damages and determining the amount of compensation to be paid in each specific case.

The EC added that the first round of negotiations on the establishment of the Complaints Commission will begin at the end of March 2025.

• Ukraine insists on the establishment of a special tribunal for the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine, since the International Criminal Court and other similar institutions cannot consider cases for such crimes at this stage. The need to establish a special tribunal for Russia has already been supported by a number of European and international institutions, including the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assemblies of NATO and the OSCE, as well as individual countries (for example, France, Germany and Latvia).

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