The Ukrainian Bar Association, the Inter-Factional Deputy Association of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine "Tribunal for Russian Aggressors" and the International Bar Association (IBA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on coordination of efforts aimed at the establishment of the Special International Tribunal on the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. The Memorandum was signed on Monday, August 28, 2023 in Kyiv.

The objective of the Memorandum is consolidation of efforts of Ukrainian parliament members, Ukrainian lawyers and international partners regarding the legislative development, systemic advocacy and other activities aimed at ensuring accountability of the Russian military-political leadership, in particular by means of the establishment of the Special International Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

According to the Memorandum, within the framework of cooperation, the parties plan to conduct seminars, conferences, business meetings, etc., jointly develop legislative proposals, develop methodological recommendations and other information materials necessary for achieving the goals of the Memorandum, etc.

It is expected that the signatories of the Memorandum will analyse the best international experience in prosecuting to justice the heads of aggressor states for international crimes, advocate for the establishment of a Special International Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine on the basis of a UN General Assembly resolution, and provide each other with the necessary legal, expert and other assistance and support.

"As of today, the Ukrainian Bar Association has more than 7,000 members. These are lawyers of different profiles, but they are all lawyers. And we, as lawyers, understand that now more than ever we must take responsibility for putting our knowledge, our intelligence into this difficult task — the establishment of the Tribunal. Therefore, we consistently create opportunities for communication with foreign experts, involve leading specialists, in particular Ukrainian ones, so that this issue is constantly discussed at the Ukrainian and international levels. The Memorandum signed today will be the next step in order to record the existing achievements and developments and once again emphasize for both the Ukrainian and foreign community how important this issue is," said Mykola Stetsenko, the UBA President, at the event dedicated to the signing of the Memorandum.

Mr. Stetsenko also thanked the IBA for helping the Ukrainian legal community since the first days of the full-scale war. He emphasized that in recent years the cooperation between UBA and IBA has significantly changed and deepened.

Dr. Mark Ellis, Executive Director of the International Bar Association, signed the Memorandum on behalf of the IBA, and Oleksandr Kachura, Ukrainian parliament member, did it on behalf of the Inter-Factional Deputy Association "Tribunal for Russian Aggressors".