On July 15, 2026, the Ukrainian Free University (Ukrainische Freie Universität – Український Вільний Університет) hosted a landmark academic event – the international roundtable “Crimes of the Russian Federation During the Aggression Against Ukraine and Liability for Them”.
This event was the result of a powerful synergy between two historic institutions: the Ukrainian Free University and the Center for Genocide and Human Rights Studies at the Faculty of Law of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (Факультет правничих наук НаУКМА). The gathering brought together leading scholars and practitioners from Ukraine, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, and the United States.
🏛️ “Just Punishment is the Only Way to Preserve the World”
The roundtable was opened with welcoming remarks by the Rector of UFU, Professor Larysa Didkovska, and the Dean of the Faculty of Law at NaUKMA, Volodymyr Venher. The discussion was moderated by the Ukrainian International Law scholar, Professor Myroslava Antonovych.
The roundtable was opened with welcoming remarks by the Rector of UFU, Professor Larysa Didkovska, and the Dean of the Faculty of Law at NaUKMA, Volodymyr Venher. The discussion was moderated by the Ukrainian International Law scholar, Professor Myroslava Antonovych.
“The topic of our meeting is not just an academic discourse. It is a vital challenge and a question of survival for our state, for every Ukrainian, and for the entire civilized world. Our legal front today is just as critical as the military or diplomatic ones. We must develop the doctrinal foundation that will serve as the basis for real verdicts in international courts tomorrow,” emphasized UFU Rector Larysa Didkovska in her opening speech.
Volodymyr Venher, Dean of the Faculty of Law at NaUKMA, expressed his deep gratitude to UFU for preserving the Ukrainian scientific spirit far beyond the borders of the homeland. He outlined a vital mission: preventing the “brain drain” by actively engaging Ukrainian researchers and students in a shared intellectual space. He also announced an exciting milestone – the opening of NaUKMA Law Faculty’s German campus at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder).
Volodymyr Venher, Dean of the Faculty of Law at NaUKMA, expressed his deep gratitude to UFU for preserving the Ukrainian scientific spirit far beyond the borders of the homeland. He outlined a vital mission: preventing the “brain drain” by actively engaging Ukrainian researchers and students in a shared intellectual space. He also announced an exciting milestone – the opening of NaUKMA Law Faculty’s German campus at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder).
🔍 Key Insights & Discussions
The roundtable’s agenda addressed some of the most complex challenges facing modern international law:
1. The State of the Art in Accountability for Gross Human Rights Violations
Professor Patrícia Jerónimo of the University of Minho (Portugal) provided a thorough analysis of the concept of accountability. She emphasized that while there is a global normative consensus against impunity, realpolitik often stalls actual justice. However, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) 2025 decision in Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia stands as a beacon of hope, proving that systematic evidence collection by monitoring missions serves as a rock-solid foundation for future judicial decisions.
The roundtable’s agenda addressed some of the most complex challenges facing modern international law:
1. The State of the Art in Accountability for Gross Human Rights Violations
Professor Patrícia Jerónimo of the University of Minho (Portugal) provided a thorough analysis of the concept of accountability. She emphasized that while there is a global normative consensus against impunity, realpolitik often stalls actual justice. However, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) 2025 decision in Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia stands as a beacon of hope, proving that systematic evidence collection by monitoring missions serves as a rock-solid foundation for future judicial decisions.
2. Enforcement of Judicial Decisions and Genocide
A veteran of the US judicial system, US Federal Judge and UFU Professor Bohdan Futey, focused on the inevitability of punishment for crimes against humanity and genocide. Recalling the unfulfilled security assurances of the Budapest Memorandum, he warned that if the international system (including the UN) fails to enforce its own rulings and arrest warrants, the entire global rules-based order is at risk. The security of the free world is directly tied to securing justice for Ukraine.
A veteran of the US judicial system, US Federal Judge and UFU Professor Bohdan Futey, focused on the inevitability of punishment for crimes against humanity and genocide. Recalling the unfulfilled security assurances of the Budapest Memorandum, he warned that if the international system (including the UN) fails to enforce its own rulings and arrest warrants, the entire global rules-based order is at risk. The security of the free world is directly tied to securing justice for Ukraine.
3. Political Expediency vs. The Rule of Law
Dr. Marta Barandiy (UFU) delivered a candid and profound critique of European political compromises. She analyzed how, over the past 12 years, economic interests, fear of escalation, and the desire to “maintain dialogue” with the aggressor consistently hindered the robust application of international law. In her view, the legal architecture itself is not broken; rather, it is being paralyzed by states that prioritize political convenience over legal obligations.
Dr. Marta Barandiy (UFU) delivered a candid and profound critique of European political compromises. She analyzed how, over the past 12 years, economic interests, fear of escalation, and the desire to “maintain dialogue” with the aggressor consistently hindered the robust application of international law. In her view, the legal architecture itself is not broken; rather, it is being paralyzed by states that prioritize political convenience over legal obligations.
4. A Special Tribunal as a New Compass in a Multipolar World
Professor Stefan Weber of Saarland University detailed the ongoing efforts to establish the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (STCAU). He illustrated why traditional mechanisms, such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) or the UN Security Council, face inherent limitations regarding the crime of aggression. The creation of a Special Tribunal under the auspices of the Council of Europe in The Hague represents a unique precedent and a vital initiative by liberal democracies to set a new standard for international justice.
Professor Stefan Weber of Saarland University detailed the ongoing efforts to establish the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (STCAU). He illustrated why traditional mechanisms, such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) or the UN Security Council, face inherent limitations regarding the crime of aggression. The creation of a Special Tribunal under the auspices of the Council of Europe in The Hague represents a unique precedent and a vital initiative by liberal democracies to set a new standard for international justice.
5. Marine Environmental Damage & Underwater Heritage
Dr. Natalia Subbotina (UFU) brought to light a crucial yet under-researched topic – the severe damage inflicted by Russia on the marine environment and underwater cultural heritage of the Black and Azov Seas. She detailed the ecological devastation caused by military sonars leading to mass dolphin deaths, the destruction of ecosystems following the Kakhovka Dam disaster, and the illicit looting of underwater archaeological sites, calling for intensified efforts to gather evidence for future reparations.
6. Is the Prohibition on the Use of Force Still Alive?
Dr. Maksym Vishchyk (NaUKMA), Legal Advisor at the Global Rights Compliance Foundation, closed the panel by addressing the fate of the prohibition of the use of force. He challenged the pessimistic “death certificates” written for international law. Even when rogue states commit aggression, they try to justify their actions using legal exceptions (such as self-defense), which paradoxically reinforces the authority of the rule itself. As long as Ukraine resists and the world refuses to recognize the fruits of unlawful conquest, the international legal order remains alive.
Dr. Maksym Vishchyk (NaUKMA), Legal Advisor at the Global Rights Compliance Foundation, closed the panel by addressing the fate of the prohibition of the use of force. He challenged the pessimistic “death certificates” written for international law. Even when rogue states commit aggression, they try to justify their actions using legal exceptions (such as self-defense), which paradoxically reinforces the authority of the rule itself. As long as Ukraine resists and the world refuses to recognize the fruits of unlawful conquest, the international legal order remains alive.
🕊️ Looking Forward
This roundtable has once again proven that for over a century, the Ukrainian Free University has remained a fortress of free Ukrainian thought and scholarship in the heart of Europe. In partnership with our colleagues from Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, we are not merely recording history – we are actively shaping the legal doctrines that will form the basis of a future tribunal, ensuring every war criminal is brought to justice.
This roundtable has once again proven that for over a century, the Ukrainian Free University has remained a fortress of free Ukrainian thought and scholarship in the heart of Europe. In partnership with our colleagues from Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, we are not merely recording history – we are actively shaping the legal doctrines that will form the basis of a future tribunal, ensuring every war criminal is brought to justice.
We extend our deepest gratitude to all speakers, participants, and guests for their solidarity, profound expertise, and unwavering belief in the power of law!
Text: Dr. Liliia Bondarenko
