Thirty-four Council of Europe member states, along with Australia, Costa Rica, and the EU as an institution, have formally expressed their intention to join a special tribunal designed to prosecute Russia for the "crime of aggression" in its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The Council of Europe (a 46-member pan-European human rights body, distinct from the EU) approved a resolution laying the groundwork for the court, which could in theory try senior figures including President Vladimir Putin. The move fills a gap left by the International Criminal Court, which lacks jurisdiction over the initial decision to launch the invasion, though 12 Council of Europe members — including Hungary, Slovakia, Turkey, and several Balkan states — have yet to sign on.