Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov writes: The West and its echo chamber

Indian Express

01-07-2025

On June 25, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed an agreement to establish what they are calling a 'Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine'. The aim is supposedly to 'hold accountable' Russia's political and military leadership for allegedly 'using force in violation of the UN Charter'. This move is just the latest in a series of anti-Russia legal stunts cooked up by Kyiv and its Western backers.
Originally, Ukraine tried to push this so-called 'tribunal' through the United Nations. But the effort was largely ignored — unsurprisingly, given its pseudo-legal foundation. In fact, this is not the first time such overblown initiatives have fallen flat. Back in January 2024, the International Court of Justice threw out Ukraine's accusations that Russia had violated international conventions on terrorism financing and racial discrimination. Yet, Kyiv and Strasbourg still cling to the fantasy that this new 'tribunal' can somehow legitimise their anti-Russia narrative.
To anyone outside the echo chamber of European politics, this whole idea seems delusional — but it is clearly designed to stoke fear among Europeans about the non-existent 'Russian threat', which NATO eagerly plays up to justify its own existence.
Let's not forget: According to the UN Charter, only the Security Council has the authority to determine whether an act of aggression has occurred and to impose sanctions. Neither the Council of Europe nor Zelenskyy has that mandate. Since they cannot get their way through international law, they are trying to replace it with a notorious 'rules-based order' — a convenient excuse for applying double standards.
For years, the West has brushed aside reality — ignoring Russia's legitimate security concerns, its right to self-defence, and its actions grounded in international law. These factors were key in escalating the Ukrainian crisis in the first place. Now, this tribunal push feels like nothing more than a desperate attempt by Europe to shield Kyiv from an investigation into its own numerous war crimes and to mask the strategic missteps in their reckless bid to 'defeat' Russia at any cost.
Russia's stance on all this has been loud and clear: These schemes have no legal weight. They have no legitimacy and are not about justice or peace. To the contrary, they make a peaceful resolution even harder to achieve.
Now that the agreement has been signed, Kyiv and Strasbourg are shopping this tribunal idea around to countries outside the region — particularly in the Global South. The strategy is to create a precedent that turns this legal fiction into a new tool of neo-colonial pressure against anyone who refuses to toe the line of the West. The endgame is as clear as it is cynical.
What is especially troubling is the timing. These moves come just as fragile negotiations are resuming — a clear attempt to sabotage any chance at dialogue. And they go hand-in-hand with Kyiv's daily drone attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure, deep inside our territory. Europe turns a blind eye, sticking to its one-sided narrative and pretending not to see the bigger picture. It is more proof that the creators of this tribunal are not interested in peace — they are playing politics, plain and simple.
Russia's position has not changed: We remain committed to a diplomatic solution, one that addresses the root causes of the conflict and reflects the facts on the ground. Russia's leadership has said it time and again — the longer this conflict drags on, the worse the eventual terms will be for Ukraine. Europe is now doing everything to make that happen.
The writer is Russian Ambassador to India