Belgium has officially announced its intention to become one of the founding states of the Special Tribunal established to investigate the crime of aggression against Ukraine. This decision was communicated to the Council of Europe by the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Purpose of the Tribunal and Belgium’s Position
Belgian Foreign Minister, Maxim Prevo, emphasized that a fair response to aggression against a sovereign state requires more than just military, humanitarian, or reconstruction support. He highlighted the necessity of holding accountable those responsible for committing the crime of aggression. According to Prevo, this tribunal is being created to address gaps in international law and to affirm that no aggression against an independent country will go unpunished.
“When a sovereign state becomes a victim of aggressive war, it is not enough to provide military, humanitarian, or reconstruction support. Those responsible must be punished. This tribunal is being established to close the gap in international law and to clearly state: aggression against a sovereign country will not go unpunished,” quoted the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs from Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxim Prevo.
The Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that the International Criminal Court has jurisdiction over war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed on the territory of Ukraine; however, it cannot prosecute the crime of aggression, which refers to the decision to invade another state.
Establishment of the Tribunal and Participation of States
The attempt to refer the issue of the crime of aggression to the ICC through the UN Security Council was blocked by Russia’s veto. Therefore, Ukraine, together with international partners, has been working for over two years to create a separate legal mechanism. In June 2025, an agreement was signed between Ukraine and the Council of Europe, which officially established the Special Tribunal and approved its statute.
Prevo also emphasized that Belgium is backing its words with actions and will participate in the process from day one to ensure the readiness of justice after the war ends. To organize the tribunal’s work, a steering committee is being formed in the format of an Extended Partial Agreement (EPA) within the Council of Europe. This structure can include both member states of the organization and other countries.
As of the end of April 2026, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, 22 countries have already expressed their intention to join the mechanism. An official decision regarding the creation of the agreement is planned to be made during the ministerial meeting of the Council of Europe, which is set to take place on May 14-15. States that join by that time will receive the status of founders. Ukrainian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Andriy Kostin, noted that the process of creating an international special tribunal for the crime of aggression by Russia against Ukraine has significantly accelerated due to the increasing number of participating countries in the Extended Partial Agreement.