President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed documents for the ratification of the agreement on the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression by russia against Ukraine. The Verkhovna Rada will be able to ratify this agreement during its next sessions via an absolute majority.
This was stated by MP Yegor Cherniev, Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defence and Intelligence, and Head of the Permanent Delegation of Ukraine to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
«I think that ratification will take place at the next parliamentary sessions. I am convinced that the Verkhovna Rada will support the document by an absolute majority, and after ratification, amendments will be made to the legislation. The document must also be ratified by the countries that signed it, i.e. the states that are members of the Council of Europe. Then the actual creation of the Special Tribunal will take place. After that, the case will be investigated,» the politician said.
He added that the tribunal itself could be established by the end of this year, and the first results could be expected by 2026.
The MP stressed that even the immunity currently possessed by the top officials of the aggressor country will not prevent the case from being heard and a verdict from being handed down.
«Unfortunately, they can only be held accountable after they are removed from office. The Special Tribunal will have the power to start proceedings and even hand down a verdict. Yes, it will be in absentia for now, but the existence of a verdict against the top officials of the russian federation will mean certain restrictions on their movement and international activities, because countries that have dealings with a convicted criminal will think twice before signing any agreements,» the parliamentarian stressed.