Today at 07:58
EU allocates €10 million for Special Tribunal on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and additional support for victims — Kaja Kallas.
The European Union has decided to allocate €10 million for the establishment of a Special Tribunal to investigate Russia’s crime of aggression against Ukraine, as well as €6 million to assist Ukrainian children deported by Russia and victims of sexual crimes committed by Russian forces.
This was announced by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas during a joint press conference in Kyiv with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, according to Ukrinform.
“Regarding accountability, today I can announce the first €10 million for the creation of a Special Tribunal on the crime of aggression,” said Kallas.
She confirmed the EU’s position that top Russian officials bear responsibility for the war, emphasizing that there would be no war crimes or atrocities without the underlying crime of aggression. Kallas stressed that no one should remain unpunished for the crimes committed.
The EU diplomat highlighted that forced deportation of children and sexual violence are among the darkest chapters of Russia’s war.
“Today we are allocating an additional €6 million to support care for children deported by Russia and victims of sexual violence. This can help provide the necessary assistance to the victims of these crimes,” Kallas said.
Background
- On June 25, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed an agreement with the Council of Europe to establish the Special Tribunal on the crime of aggression.
- On July 15, the Ukrainian Parliament ratified the agreement with the Council of Europe.
- In late September, Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset confirmed readiness to establish the tribunal, which will prosecute Russia’s political and military leadership for crimes of aggression against Ukraine.
Additional EU support
Kallas also announced that the EU is working on providing an additional €100 million in winter support for Ukraine, in addition to €800 million already mobilized, to help cover generators, shelters, and winter equipment.
She noted that Russia’s summer offensive failed, achieving minimal territorial gains at a high cost, and is now attempting to compensate for battlefield failures with terrorist attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
“The European Union is increasing Ukraine’s combat capacity, allocating €2 billion for drones. We will also expand the mandate of the EU Civil Mission in Ukraine to cover cyber defense and veteran support,” Kallas said.
The EU is also discussing a reparations-backed credit, potentially funded from frozen Russian assets, to support Ukraine on the frontlines:
“We must insist on this proposal. Turning frozen Russian funds into support for Ukraine at the frontlines is the right thing to do. Moscow should pay for this war, not European taxpayers.”
As previously reported, amid deliberate Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy systems, the European Commission confirmed that the EU has the capacity to continue supporting Ukraine throughout the winter. EU officials are assessing a €400 million funding gap for energy support and plan to fill it.
