34 European countries including Australia, Costa Rica and the EU said on Friday they will join the future special court of Ukraine to sue Russia due to its invasion in the country.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed an agreement with the Council of Europe last year to create a legal body to prosecute the “crime of aggression” in the Russian invasion launched in February 2022.
The Council of Ministers, which includes the ministers of foreign affairs from the 46 countries of the organization, in a meeting adopted a resolution to lay the foundation of the future court, it said in its statement.
It added that the 34 member states of the council as well as the European Union as an institution and Costa Rica and Australia have “expressed their interest” in joining the agreement to establish the court.
“The time for Russia to take responsibility for its aggression is drawing near,” said Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, which acts as a guardian of human rights and democracy across the continent.
The special court represents justice and hope. Steps should now be taken to pursue this political commitment
“The special court represents justice and hope. Action now needs to be taken to follow up on this political mission by getting the functioning and funding of the court,” he added in the statement.
