Foundations laid for tribunal to try Putin for Ukraine invasion, EU says

Vladimir Putin, Russia’s leader. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said there was ‘no doubt that Putin has committed the crime of aggression’. Photograph: Gavriil Grigorov/Reuters

International lawyers have “laid the foundations” for a special tribunal to try Russia for the crime of aggression, the EU has said, hailing a significant step towards holding Vladimir Putin and his top officials accountable for the invasion of Ukraine.

In a statement late on Tuesday, the EU executive declared a breakthrough that it said would mean the Russian political and military leaders “who bear the greatest responsibility” would be held to account.