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European Parliament backs tribunal for Russian leaders
Summary
A look back at the resolution on accountability and sanctions adopted on 1 May 2026, and a Russian withdrawal in Mali reported the same day.
What did the European Parliament commit to on the eve of 2 May 2026? On 1 May, it adopted a resolution supporting a special tribunal to prosecute Russian leaders for crimes linked to the war in Ukraine.
The resolution also called for sanctions on Russia to stay in place until a peace agreement is fully implemented. That tied the question of punitive measures to the implementation of any settlement, not merely its signing.
The proposed court is meant to address the crime of aggression. It would be an ad hoc international criminal tribunal aimed at prosecuting individuals responsible for the invasion, and a complement to the existing International Criminal Court investigation in Ukraine. The invasion has been described as violating international law since it began, and as a crime of aggression under international criminal law and under the domestic criminal codes of both Ukraine and Russia. Procedural obstacles to prosecution under those laws remain.
A separate Russian setback in Mali
Also on 1 May, the jihadist group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin took over a base outside Tessalit in Mali's Kidal Region. Malian troops and Russia's Africa Corps had abandoned the base beforehand. The episode was part of the 2026 Mali attacks.
