Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday emphasized that strong transatlantic unity between Europe and the United States under Donald Trump’s leadership would be crucial to securing Ukraine’s victory against Russia’s ongoing invasion. He also renewed his call for Russian President Vladimir Putin to face justice.
During his first visit to the Council of Europe since the war began, Zelensky signed an agreement to establish a special tribunal aimed at prosecuting senior Russian officials for crimes related to the invasion.
Earlier in the day, following a direct meeting with former President Trump at the NATO summit in The Hague, Zelensky passionately appealed for sustained cooperation between Europe and the U.S., framing their partnership as a vital pillar of Ukraine’s defense and future stability.
“We need a strong connection with him (Trump),” Zelensky, who had a public spat with the American leader in the Oval Office earlier this year, told the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
“We need unity between Europe and the United States and we will prevail,” Zelensky said, adding: “We need unity in Europe first of all.”
The special tribunal would prosecute the “crime of aggression” in the full-scale invasion, which Russia launched in February 2022, and could, in theory, try senior figures up to Putin.
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“We need to show clearly aggression leads to punishment and we must make it happen together, all of Europe,” said Zelensky after signing the accord with Council of Europe secretary general Alain Berset.
“There is still a long way to go. Justice takes time but it must happen,” he added, saying the accord is a “real chance to bring justice for the crime of aggression”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that ensuring justice for every Russian war criminal, including President Vladimir Putin, would require significant political and legal courage. He emphasized that holding all perpetrators accountable was essential to upholding international law and restoring faith in global justice systems.