Kross: Crimes of aggression will not go unpunished

TALLINN - The Riigikogu, Estonia's parliament, has approved a bill for the country to join the international special tribunal being established to investigate Russia's crimes of aggression and bring the perpetrators to justice.

"By participating in the special tribunal, we are contributing to ensuring that the international crimes committed in Ukraine during Russia's war of aggression, including the crime of aggression itself, do not go unpunished. The initiators and perpetrators must be held accountable," said Eerik-Niiles Kross, a member of the Riigikogu's Foreign Affairs Committee.

According to him, preparations for the special tribunal began immediately after the start of Russia's full-scale assault in 2022. "When the idea of the special tribunal was first proposed in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, it was initially considered unfeasible and insane. Today, 35 countries are involved in the creation of the Tribunal, its statute has been internationally agreed upon, the agreement between the Council of Europe and Ukraine has been signed, and the Netherlands is preparing for the tribunal to be based in The Hague," Kross said.

"Estonia has been an active participant throughout the process and has contributed to shaping the special tribunal's statute and related international agreements at both the political and expert levels," Kross noted.

"Special recognition should be given to the lawyers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Estonian representation at the Council of Europe, and the Estonian delegations to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe," he added.

The special tribunal is an international court with the jurisdiction to investigate the planners, perpetrators, and leaders of Russia's war of aggression, draw up indictments, issue arrest warrants, and bring them to trial.