The EU has approved the establishment of a tribunal for Putin, based on the Council of Europe, with participation from 41 countries.

The Council of Europe has reached an agreement on the legal framework for establishing a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, reports DW. If the court is established, it will operate independently from the International Criminal Court.

Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Bergé, announced this on Tuesday, February 4, in Brussels.

“The establishment of a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression under the Council of Europe will allow our international partners, including Ukraine and the European Union, to fully leverage our expertise and knowledge in the field of human rights protection and the rule of law across the continent,” he stated at a briefing dedicated to the 13th meeting of the Core Group.

This group currently includes 41 states, along with the European Commission, the European External Action Service, and the Council of Europe itself.

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaia Kallas, when asked by DW about her assessment of global support for this initiative, urged other countries to join the group working towards the establishment of the special tribunal.

“Given what is happening in the world, every country has a vested interest in the continued development of international law and in having clear rules for holding the guilty accountable,” she said.

The working group, which includes representatives from 41 countries, has already held 13 meetings. The final, 14th meeting is expected to take place in April, where a document establishing the Special Tribunal will be signed.

The crime of aggression is a distinct category of international offenses that involves waging war against another state. Unlike war crimes and crimes against humanity, which can hold both ordinary conflict participants and commanders from both sides accountable, the crime of aggression can only be attributed to the highest leadership of the country that made the decision to attack. Therefore, should the decision to establish the tribunal be made, its work will primarily focus on Putin.