Czechia joins push for tribunal on Russian aggression against Ukraine

Czechia has joined 35 other countries in backing the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The commitment was announced on Friday at a meeting of Council of Europe ministers in Moldova’s Chișinău, attended by Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka.

Prague has supported the idea since 2023, with President Petr Pavel saying a tribunal is needed to ensure Russian crimes do not go unpunished. Thirty-four of the Council of Europe’s 46 member states signed up to the initiative, together with the European Union, Australia and Costa Rica.

Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset called the move “a decisive step” towards establishing the tribunal and acknowledging responsibility for the aggression against Ukraine. He said the court represented “justice and hope”.