The European Parliament voted 446 to 63 with 52 abstentions on 30 April to back the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute Russia's leadership over the war against Ukraine, the Parliament's press service reports.
In the resolution, MEPs name members of the Russian State Duma and the Constitutional Court among those who should face accountability, and rule that EU sanctions must stay in place until a peace agreement is implemented in full.
According to the Parliament, "Russia's war of aggression constitutes a blatant violation of international law" and its leaders "must be held accountable for their roles in the crime of aggression, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other international crimes." The text condemns Russian strikes on Ukrainian residential areas, energy facilities, hospitals, and other essential services in the strongest terms.
MEPs name the Duma and the Constitutional Court
The resolution states that accountability must extend to "all those in a position to direct or enable the crime of aggression, including senior political, military and judicial actors, such as members of the Russian State Duma or the country's Constitutional Court."
MEPs voiced firm support for the rapid operationalization of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine and encouraged all EU member states to join. The Parliament also commended the work of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, Eurojust, and civil society organizations in investigating violations and collecting evidence, and reiterated that EU member states are obliged under the Rome Statute to arrest and surrender individuals subject to International Criminal Court warrants on their territory. MEPs further underlined the need to coordinate accountability mechanisms in order to avoid duplication and minimize negative impacts on victims and witnesses.
Sanctions stay until peace is implemented — claims commission approved
The Parliament approved the EU's 20th sanctions package against Russia and stated that restrictive measures "should not be lifted before a peace agreement is negotiated and implemented comprehensively." MEPs called on the European Commission and member states to crack down on sanctions circumvention and to extend the measures to "all individuals and entities whose decisions have enabled or contributed to the commission of serious crimes against Ukrainians."
In a separate vote of 465 in favor, 57 against, and 47 abstentions, Parliament backed the proposed International Claims Commission for Ukraine, intended to compensate civilian victims of the war. With Parliament's consent given, EU member states in the Council can now adopt the decision to conclude the convention on behalf of the EU.
The Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine was set up under an agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe in June 2025 and targets Russian political and military leaders responsible for the 2022 full-scale invasion and the 2014 annexation of Crimea. By April 2026, at least 17 European countries had committed funding, with further progress expected at a Council of Europe meeting in May 2026. The tribunal allows in-absentia trials for most defendants and features specialized chambers with judges elected for nine-year terms. It is the first aggression tribunal since the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials following World War II.
