Lithuania joins Special Tribunal on Russian aggression against Ukraine
Illustrative photo: Lithuania informed the EU Council of its intention to join the Special Tribunal (Getty Images)
Today, November 27, Lithuania announced its intention to join the Special Tribunal on the Crime of Aggression by Russia against Ukraine, according to the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Twitter (X).
"Today, Lithuania notified the Council of Europe of its intent to join the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, becoming the first state after Ukraine to do so," the statement reads.
Special Tribunal on Russian crimes
On June 25, 2025, Ukraine and the Council of Europe signed an agreement to establish a Special Tribunal to investigate the crimes of aggression against Ukraine.
The main goal of the Special Tribunal is to hold the highest military and political leadership of Russia accountable for launching the war against Ukraine. The initiative has been supported by several EU countries, the US, the UK, as well as by the European Union itself.
The Special Tribunal against Russia will have the status of an international body, rather than a hybrid or national institution. It is based on Article 8 bis of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, supplemented by the criteria for an act of aggression outlined in UN General Assembly Resolution 3314.
The tribunal is expected to be able to issue verdicts even in the absence of the accused, including against Russia’s political and military leadership, and potentially also against Belarus and North Korea.
Notably, Ukraine’s ambassador to the US, Olha Stefanishyna, reported that a controversial clause on amnesty was removed from the proposed peace plan of US President Donald Trump. This clause had raised the greatest concerns regarding justice and Russia’s accountability.
