Leaders of wider Europe unite against Russia too in Reykjavik

REYKJAVIK, Iceland – A year after kicking Russia out of the Council of Europe (CoE), the leaders of the 46-nation pan- continental rights body gather Tuesday in Iceland to show a united face against Moscow.

Firming up ways to hold Russia legally responsible for the death and destruction it has wrought in Ukraine will dominate the summit in Reykjavik, only the fourth to be held in the CoE's seven- decade history.

As of late Monday, there was no official word as to whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would take part in the summit. But he has been on a tour of major European capitals, with each stop publicly announced only just before arrival.

Along the way, Berlin, Paris and London all pledged to step up arms deliveries to Kyiv, deepening a military arrangement between the West and Ukraine that has helped put Russia on the back foot.

Ukraine is expected to mount an offensive against Russian forces in the east of its territory in coming weeks.

Zelensky tweeted that he was "returning home with new defence packages".

The CoE focuses on its mission to promote human rights, democracy and rule of law in its member states, which include all 27 European Union nations plus Britain, Turkey, Western Balkan countries, Georgia and Armenia.

Russia was kicked out of the CoE in March 2022, because of its invasion of Ukraine, just ahead of its plan to withdraw from the Strasbourg-based body.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who is attending the summit, said on Monday the EU will "keep supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes".

She said that, "in Reykjavik we will discuss how to hold Russia accountable" and "I will support the creation of a dedicated tribunal to bring Russia’s crime of aggression to trial".

Notably, she said, the summit will look to set up a register of damage in The Hague, where a special court could be set up as "a first step, and a good step, towards Russian compensation".

The commission and EU countries are in favour of setting up a special tribunal, likely in The Hague in the Netherlands where the International Criminal Court already sits, to judge Russian leaders and commanders.

That prospect, though, is pushed off to after what looks like it will be a long war, with Russia digging in and perhaps preparing its own spring attack on Ukrainian positions.