Ukraine and its backers will sign off on the creation of a special tribunal to try Russia's top leadership over their invasion at a meeting in Lviv Friday, EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas said.
EU foreign ministers are heading to the western Ukrainian city in a symbolic show of support for Kyiv to coincide with the Kremlin's World War II victory parade in Moscow.
"There will be no impunity, there will be accountability for the crimes committed," Kallas said Thursday after a meeting of EU ministers in Warsaw.
The special tribunal is designed to prosecute Russia's top leadership for the "crime of aggression" in launching the invasion of Ukraine.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague has already issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin over the abduction of Ukrainian children, and four of his top commanders for targeting civilians.
But the ICC does not have the jurisdiction to prosecute Russia for the more fundamental decision to launch the invasion.
The new tribunal is not expected to be able to try Putin while he is in office due to a principle of international law that gives immunity to presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers.
Proposals for establishing the tribunal were floated more than two years ago but wrangling over its legal basis and how it would work has made progress slow.
The return of US President Donald Trump to the White House appears to have sped up efforts, as European officials fear his plans for a peace deal could lead to Moscow escaping justice for good.
Kallas said that alongside the announcement on the court, the EU will also pledge a further one billion euros ($1.1 billion) to help build up Ukraine's defence industry.
The money is set to come from the proceeds of frozen Russian central bank assets that Brussels has already earmarked for Kyiv.
