A modern-day Nuremberg tribunal is taking shape in Ukraine, according to European Pravda.
On 9 May, while Moscow held a military parade for another anniversary of the Soviet “victory,” high-level representatives from 39 countries gathered in Lviv and made a historic decision — a political agreement to establish a Special Tribunal to investigate the Russian crime of aggression against Ukraine, committed by President Vladimir Putin and top Russian political and military leadership.
The new Hague tribunal will not have the option of the death penalty. The highest punishment is life imprisonment. Limited prison terms of up to 30 years are also possible. These penalties are based on those provided by the International Criminal Court. In addition to imprisonment, the court may impose a fine and the confiscation of personal assets.
Expert Serhii Sydorenko compares the decision to a new Nuremberg. But unlike the tribunal for the Nazis, which was created after World War II ended, this court is being prepared while the Russia-Ukraine war is still ongoing. It will also be able to function without waiting for a peace agreement.
Ukraine hopes that on 14 May, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha will officially deliver a letter to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe declaring Ukraine’s intention to sign the agreement to establish the tribunal.
One of the key achievements of the agreement is the possibility of holding trials in absentia—that is, even if the accused are not physically present in the courtroom. This is critical, as the chances that Russia will voluntarily hand over its leaders are close to zero.
The tribunal is expected to indict Russia’s top political and military leadership — Putin, Lavrov, Mishustin, and possibly even Lukashenko and Kim Jong Un. Verdicts against sitting leaders won’t be issued until after their terms end, a compromise previously agreed upon with the US.
The process of establishing the tribunal involves signing what’s known as an “enlarged partial agreement.” Each participating country must ratify it, after which the tribunal will receive its full mandate. The court is expected to begin work in 2026, with investigations starting simultaneously.
Although international law recognizes armed aggression as a crime, there is currently no mechanism for directly punishing its initiators. The special tribunal is intended to fill this gap, becoming the first such institution since Nuremberg and Tokyo.
Most importantly, the issuance of verdicts even in absentia would mean official international delegitimization of the accused as war criminals, even if they remain physically in Russia.
It was also agreed that the tribunal would be able to set the starting date of its jurisdiction independently, meaning it could consider crimes committed since 2014, not just those after 24 February 2022.
Still, there were obstacles. The US withdrew from the process following Donald Trump’s inauguration in March 2025. However, it did not demand impunity for Putin—it simply distanced itself. Paradoxically, this strengthened the resolve of the other participants.
European capitals, notably Berlin, Paris, and London, also initially slowed progress, fearing the creation of a precedent that Russia or China could use against Western leaders and launch the same tribunal but for the US president. But ultimately, the logic of justice prevailed.
Today’s decision is only the beginning of a long process. But the most important step has been taken: for the first time in decades, international justice will have the tools to hold leaders accountable for waging war.
