Creation of a Special Tribunal to Prosecute the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine
Introduction
Thirty-six countries, mostly from Europe, have agreed to create a special tribunal in The Hague. The goal of this court is to prosecute Russian leaders for the crime of aggression.
Main Body
The plan was officially agreed upon during a meeting of foreign affairs ministers from the Council of Europe. They approved a resolution to create a management committee, which will be responsible for approving the budget, setting internal rules, and appointing judges and prosecutors. This new tribunal is necessary because the International Criminal Court (ICC) has a legal gap; while the ICC can prosecute war crimes, it cannot judge the crime of aggression against a country like Russia that has not signed the ICC treaty, especially since Russia can use its veto power in the UN Security Council. Therefore, the tribunal will focus on 'leadership crimes' committed by the president, prime minister, foreign minister, and top military commanders. While there is broad support, the agreement is not complete. The signatories include 34 European states, Australia, Costa Rica, and the European Union, which has promised β¬10 million in funding. However, some EU members, such as Bulgaria, Hungary, Malta, and Slovakia, did not join. Furthermore, the court faces a challenge because the top three Russian leaders cannot be tried in their absence while they are still in office, although lower-ranking military officials can be. To help victims, this legal effort will work alongside a Register of Damages and an International Claims Commission. Meanwhile, in a separate legal battle, a Moscow court ruled in favor of the Russian Central Bank in a case against Euroclear regarding frozen assets.
Conclusion
The tribunal will now begin its work once national laws are updated and permanent funding is secured.
Learning
β‘ The 'B2 Leap': Moving from Simple Actions to Complex Systems
At the A2 level, you describe what happened. At the B2 level, you describe how things are organized and why they function that way.
Look at this sentence from the text:
"They approved a resolution to create a management committee, which will be responsible for approving the budget..."
π οΈ The Power Move: "Responsible for + [Verb]-ing"
Instead of saying "Their job is to..." (A2), B2 students use Responsible for.
The Rule: When you use responsible for, the word that follows must be a Noun or a Gerund (the -ing form). You cannot use an infinitive (to do).
- β Wrong: He is responsible for to pay the bills.
- β Correct: He is responsible for paying the bills.
π Practical Application (From the text to your life)
The Article's Logic:
- Management Committee responsible for approving (budget), setting (rules), appointing (judges).
Your Transition: Start replacing "I have to..." or "My job is..." with this structure to sound more professional and fluent:
- Work: "I am responsible for managing the team."
- Home: "My partner is responsible for cleaning the kitchen."
- Study: "The teacher is responsible for grading the exams."
π Bonus: The 'Legal Gap' Concept
Notice the phrase "legal gap." This is a compound noun (Adjective + Noun). B2 fluency involves using these clusters to summarize complex ideas quickly. Instead of saying "a problem where the law is missing something," just say "a legal gap."
Try using these B2-style clusters:
- Funding gap (not enough money)
- Knowledge gap (something you don't know yet)