Estonia approves agreement to establish administrative committee for special tribunal

TALLINN - The Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament) on Wednesday approved the Council of Europe's (CoE) enlarged partial agreement, which establishes the administrative committee for the special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine and regulates matters related to the committee's activities.

With the adoption of the law, Estonia became the first country whose parliament has officially confirmed its readiness to support the administrative functioning and financing of the special tribunal.

According to Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, Estonia's accession to the administrative committee is a significant step towards launching the special tribunal and holding Russia accountable. "With its aggression, Russia has brutally violated the norms of international law, and we see no intention on their part to change their behavior," he emphasized.

"The task of the international community is to continue applying comprehensive pressure on Russia, both politically and economically, so that it lacks the ability to weaken or rewrite the principles of international law," Tsahkna said.

The Foreign Minister added that for this very reason, it is essential to launch the special tribunal for the crime of aggression, ensuring that one of the gravest international crimes and its perpetrators do not go unpunished. "We call on our international partners to follow Estonia's example and approve the agreement quickly so that the tribunal can begin its work as soon as possible. Impunity must not become the norm, nor can it be allowed to take root."

The special tribunal for the crime of aggression is an international, independent court to be established based on an agreement between the Council of Europe and Ukraine. Its purpose is to investigate and prosecute the individuals most responsible for committing the crime of aggression. The special tribunal will complement the work of the International Criminal Court (ICC): the ICC is investigating crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Ukraine, while the special tribunal will address the crime of aggression.

The founding documents for the special tribunal were drafted by a core group established in 2022, which included lawyers from 40 countries-including Estonia-as well as representatives from the European Union and the Council of Europe. In June 2025, Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the agreement to create the special tribunal.

As the next step, the Council of Europe must adopt a resolution confirming the enlarged partial agreement. This will serve as the basis for establishing the special tribunal's administrative committee and funding mechanism, which will regulate its administrative functions, including budget approval. The agreement is also open to non-member states of the Council of Europe and the European Union.