T.M.C. Asser Institute at the 10th Kharkiv International Legal Forum

T.M.C. Asser Institute is pleased to support and participate in the 10th Kharkiv International Legal Forum, taking place from 21–25 September 2026 at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University. The Forum brings together legal practitioners, academics, and representatives of state institutions, civil society, and international organisations to exchange experience and discuss current challenges in law, justice, and public policy. The five days of panel discussions will cover a wide range of issues related to the armed conflict, sanctions, accountability for conflict-related crimes, as well as broader issues of constitutional stability, legal education, and rule of law.

On 22 September, two T.M.C. Asser Institute researchers joined the panel 'Current Issues of the International Legal Responsibility of the Russian Federation for Aggression against Ukraine.'

Dr Gabrielė Chlevickaitė, Senior Researcher and Project Lead of 'Restoring Dignity and Justice in Ukraine: 2025-2027' (Asser component) and MATRA-Ukraine 2025-2029, discussed avenues for accountability for the crime of aggression, including Ukrainian courts, other national courts on the basis of extraterritorial jurisdiction, the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, and possible substantive and conduct overlaps with the International Criminal Court. A review of current Ukrainian jurisprudence and public indictments shows that practice is increasingly targeting mid-to-senior level individuals, with cases starting to be grouped by theatre of operations. 

James Patrick Sexton, PhD researcher, discussed the European Union's use of targeted sanctions as a response to international crimes committed in Ukraine. This included an explanation of when and how targeted sanctions had been used in this context, the benefits and drawbacks of this approach, and recommendations on how the relationship between targeted sanctions and criminal law responses to atrocity crimes can be improved.

The Forum continues through the week. Learn more and register: https://legalforum.nlu.edu.ua/