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Sweden to Join Special Tribunal for Investigating Russia’s War Crimes in Ukraine
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
Swedish Foreign Minister, Maria Malmer Stenergard, has confirmed her country's intention to join the Agreement for the establishment of a Special Tribunal to investigate Russia's crime of aggression against Ukraine.
In a post on X on March 25, Stenergard shared the update, stating, “Sweden has confirmed its intention to join the Agreement for the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.”
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She added that this move marks another step towards the creation of the tribunal, with Sweden playing a key role as one of its founding members.
“This is one step closer to establishing the Tribunal, of which Sweden will be a founding member. We must ensure accountability for Russian crimes against Ukraine,” Stenergard added.
This announcement follows Estonia’s recent decision to join the agreement, further consolidating international efforts to hold Russia accountable for its actions in Ukraine.
On March 23, Estonia has officially joined the Enlarged Partial Agreement on the Steering Committee of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine, marking a significant step in the pursuit of justice for Russia’s actions.
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The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the country had signed the agreement, solidifying its participation in the committee.
“With this step, we are moving closer to the creation of a special tribunal and ensuring its full functioning,” the Ministry stated.
At the same time, Russian leader Vladimir Putin is pushing for new powers to authorize military action abroad to “protect” Russian citizens from foreign arrests, according to The Moscow Times.
The Russian government has submitted a bill to the State Duma that would allow “extraterritorial” military intervention in cases where Russian citizens are detained or prosecuted by international courts not recognized by Moscow.
This proposed legislation is a direct response to efforts by Western judicial bodies to hold Russian leadership accountable for the invasion of Ukraine.
Legal experts told The Moscow Times that the timing of the bill reflects Moscow’s reaction to the European Union’s Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression. The Council of Europe announced the tribunal’s creation in mid-2025, and by January 2026, the EU had allocated the first 10 million euros ($11.5 million) for its operations.
Based on the Nuremberg model, the tribunal is expected to focus on prosecuting at least 20 high-ranking Russian officials for their role in the invasion of Ukraine.
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-111f0e5095e02c02446ffed57bfb0ab1.jpeg "Photo of Roman Kohanets")
-936075b09e67af5e6b162ec6c62d017c.jpg "Alexander Lukashenko and Kim Jong Un greet each other during an official ceremony in Pyongyang. (Source: press service of the Belarusian leader)")