Special Tribunal's investigations to begin in 2026 – Kallas
The investigations of the Special Tribunal into the crime of aggression committed by Russia against Ukraine are to begin in 2026, said the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas.
"I would not name any specific dates. Although I read in the materials that everything should be ready by 2026. Therefore, we hope that the investigations will also begin then, I mean, the processes, because the investigation itself is already underway," she said at a press conference in Lviv on Friday.
Kallas noted that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian side has been recording crimes with photo and video materials. Europe has provided technical assistance for this. The High Representative emphasized that war crimes are already being investigated, but the crime of aggression, for which the Special Tribunal is being created, is a crime of leadership.
"This means that those people who made the decision to start the war... Without this crime of leadership, there would be no war crimes. Therefore, it is extremely important that this tribunal deals specifically with the crime of aggression," she said.
According to Kallas, lawyers have been working on this, but while these people are in office, there are certain restrictions.
"But I think the important signal is that everything can be done, and that no one is above the law. Because that is important. Without justice there can be no real peace. I think that this is a very important signal for the Ukrainian people as well," the High Representative noted.
