Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed an agreement with the Council of Europe (CoE) to create a tribunal that would allow for the prosecution of senior Russian officials who have led the war on Ukraine.

Zelensky signed the accord on Wednesday alongside CoE Secretary General Alain Berset in the French city of Strasbourg, where the organization is headquartered.

The Ukrainian leader has portrayed the special tribunal as paramount to holding Russian officials responsible for the full-scale invasion of his country, which began in February 2022 and has grinded on for more than three years, with a huge human cost.

The establishment of the tribunal is aimed at widening the net for those who can be tried over the conflict. The International Criminal Court (ICC), which focuses on crimes against humanity, has already issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and several other high-profile political and military Russian figures.