The Latest Breaking News from the Council of Europe

A pitch to create an international tribunal for Ukraine by the Council of Europe may be at peril over budget concerns. European donors believe the US will continue to disengage from supporting Kyiv under Trump, which complicates fundraising for the Europeans to cover the expenses.

The Council of Europe’s secretary general Alain Berset told the BBC he was open to engage on migration issues over the treaty.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has described the European flag as symbolising Europe’s 'Judeo-Christian roots', triggering controversy.

The European Court of Human Rights has delivered damning judgments against Russia

A top European court on Wednesday ruled Russia committed a string of human rights violations in backing anti-Kyiv separatists in eastern Ukraine from 2014, in the downing of the MH17 flight that year and in invading Ukraine in 2022.

A special tribunal has been established by the international human rights organisation the Council of Europe (CoE) and the Ukrainian government to try crimes of aggression against Ukraine which could be used to hold Vladimir Putin and others to account for the February 2022 invasion and war crimes committed since.

Originally adopted by the Council of Europe thirty years earlier, the twelve golden stars on a blue background became the 'logo' for the EU and its predecessor in 1985.

The Ukrainian president said the tribunal is a “real chance” to achieve justice as he hopes it will one day try top Russian officials, including Putin, for their unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian leader signs an accord with the Council of Europe to set up a special tribunal to try top Russian officials.