The count was 446 in favour, 63 against and 52 abstentions. On April 30, 2026, that margin carried a European Parliament resolution backing a special tribunal to try Russia’s leadership for the war in Ukraine.
The text does not stop at the Kremlin. It names “members of the Russian State Duma or the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation” among those who should answer for the crime of aggression, war crimes and crimes against humanity. MEPs also condemned what they called “Russia’s massive strikes on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure” and said plainly that “Russia’s war of aggression constitutes a blatant violation of international law.”
The tribunal already exists on paper
Parliament was endorsing a body that has been taking shape for almost a year. The Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine came out of an agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe in June 2025. Euromaidan Press reports that at least 17 European countries had pledged funding by April 2026, and that the court can hold trials in absentia. It would be the first tribunal for the crime of aggression since Nuremberg and Tokyo.
Liga.net says the formal legal establishment could come at the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers meeting in Chisinau, where Ukraine’s foreign minister had previously pointed to May as the likely moment.
Sanctions and compensation
The same resolution welcomed the EU’s 20th sanctions package and the EUR 90 billion loan to Ukraine. On sanctions, MEPs left no room for early relief: restrictive measures “should not be lifted before a peace agreement is negotiated and implemented comprehensively.”
A separate vote, 465 to 57 with 47 abstentions, endorsed the International Claims Commission for Ukraine, which is meant to compensate civilian victims. Liga.net says it is due to start work at the Chisinau meeting on May 14, 2026.
Parliament also backed the International Criminal Court’s investigations and the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine.
Sources
- European Parliament backs establishment of a special tribunal for Russia
- The European Parliament supported the creation of a special tribunal and approved a compensation commission for Ukraine
- European Parliament resolution on Ukraine accountability (2026/2700(RSP)), Legislative Observatory summary
Sources
- Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine
- Google News – News about EU • Ukraine – Overview
