The Dutch government will host a special tribunal to prosecute Russia’s leadership for the international crime of launching a war of aggression, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten confirmed in a call with President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 3.

Jetten said the decision was necessary because, while many war crimes can be prosecuted in other courts, there is no existing legal entity authorized to rule specifically on the crime of aggression. He said establishing the tribunal would allow Russia’s senior political and military leadership to be held accountable not just for the consequences of the war, but for the act of aggression itself.

Zelensky welcomed the move, saying the tribunal would enable prosecution focused on aggression. He thanked the Netherlands for hosting and referenced the tribunal as akin to the post-World War II model, commonly compared to the Nuremberg tribunals.

The Netherlands previously offered to host the tribunal formally in October 2025. The announcement also noted that the host role would be subject to certain conditions outlined in the Dutch government’s decision—including concerns about startup and later costs depending on how responsibilities and participation are divided.

European Union backing has included funding preparatory work. A group of 36 countries, plus the EU, adopted the agreement supporting the tribunal at a Council of Europe summit in Moldova in May, and the Ukrainian government expects the tribunal to be fully operational in 2027.