Tochytskyi: Ukraine expects more countries to join Special Tribunal agreement soon
Several more states may join the Enlarged Partial Agreement on the Special Tribunal for the Russian Federation before the meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Chisinau. Ukraine also hopes that the European Union will join as a separate institution.
Mykola Tochytskyi, Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe, told Ukrinform about this.
“The Council of Europe’s task at this ministerial meeting in Chisinau is to move from the so-called political support we have here among Council of Europe member states to the practical implementation and structuring of decisions regarding the Russian Federation’s responsibility,” Tochytskyi noted.
He recalled that currently, 19 Council of Europe member states, as well as Costa Rica, have declared their intention to join the Enlarged Partial Agreement, and that the number of countries may increase by the time of the summit in Chisinau on April 14–15.
“As of today, we have information about a potentially significant number of countries that are undergoing internal state procedures to declare their readiness to join. We hope that 3–5 states will join this process, if not this week, then next,” he clarified.
According to the permanent representative, these are partners who have supported Ukraine from the very beginning. At the same time, it is very important that the EU—as a separate institution—join the tribunal’s founders at this stage.
“It is close to happening, but you remember that for this decision there must be consensus, and all three stages must be completed—the Commission’s decision, the European Parliament’s decision, and the European Council’s decision—that they will become one of the founding members of the expanded session. We very much hope that the European Union will be among us. Accordingly, this will create more opportunities and give it significantly greater weight,” Tochytskyi said.
As reported by Ukrinform, France’s agreement to join the Steering Committee of the Special Tribunal on the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine will give this body additional political weight.