European Parliament backs special tribunal for Russian leaders
A resolution adopted on 1 May 2026 combined support for prosecuting the war's architects with a call to keep sanctions in place.
What did the European Parliament want to say about accountability for the war in Ukraine on 1 May 2026? Its answer was a resolution backing the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute Russian leaders for crimes related to the war.
The text also called for sanctions on Russia to remain in place until a peace agreement is fully implemented. The two demands set out a position on both justice and pressure as diplomacy over the war continued.
The tribunal idea
The proposed court is designed to prosecute individuals responsible for the invasion under the legal concept of the crime of aggression. It would complement the existing International Criminal Court investigation in Ukraine. The invasion has been described since its start as a violation of international law, and as a crime of aggression under international criminal law and under the domestic criminal codes of both Ukraine and Russia, although procedural obstacles exist to prosecutions under those laws.
Diplomatic backdrop
The vote came two days after a phone call, reported on 29 April 2026, in which Russian president Vladimir Putin offered U.S. president Donald Trump a ceasefire for Victory Day on 9 May.
Prosecution of Russian leaders for war crimes is among the aims that Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has pursued in peace negotiations, alongside a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Russian troops and security guarantees. Putin, for his part, has sought the lifting of sanctions against Russia, which made the Parliament's call to maintain them until a peace deal is fully implemented a direct counterpoint.
