Members of the European Parliament (EP) on Thursday called for establishing a special international tribunal to try Russia's military and political leadership for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

The EP said on its website that “the atrocities committed by Russian forces in Bucha, Irpin and many other Ukrainian towns reveal the brutality of the war and underscore the importance of coordinated international action to bring those accountable to justice.”

MEPs urged the EU, in close cooperation with Ukraine and the international community, to push for the creation of a special international tribunal to prosecute Russia’s political and military leadership and its allies.

Establishing a tribunal would fill a vacuum in international criminal justice and complement the investigative efforts of the International Criminal Court, as it currently cannot investigate the crime of aggression when it comes to Ukraine, MEPs argued.

The resolution was carried by 472 votes in favour, 19 against and 33 abstentions, the EP said.