The names of the 13 candidates who will compete for the right to be nominated by Ukraine for the International Criminal Court (ICC) judges’ election have been announced: the exam program includes not only language tests but also a professional interview and an impromptu legal commentary in a foreign language.

After Ukraine became a full party to the Rome Statute on January 1, 2025, the country assumed not only obligations but also strategic advantages, the main one being participation in shaping the composition of the International Criminal Court.

As reported by the “Judicial and Legal Gazette,” Ukraine has launched the selection process for a candidate to be nominated for election as a judge of the ICC. The start of the competitive selection process was the implementation of Presidential Decree No. 206/2026 of February 26, 2026, which established the relevant selection committee. On March 2, 2026, the commission held its first meeting and officially announced the start of the selection process. It is expected that the results of this process will determine the candidate who will represent Ukraine in the election of ICC judges.

Key requirements for candidates:

• ​At least 10 years of professional experience in the field of law.
• ​Fluency in the working languages of the ICC (English or French) at a level no lower than C1.
• High moral character, an impeccable professional reputation, and no criminal record.

On March 17, 2026, the full list of individuals vying for the right to represent Ukraine at the International Criminal Court was announced. The selection committee officially admitted 13 candidates to the selection process. Among them are well-known diplomats, scholars, Supreme Court justices, and human rights advocates. ​

As early as March 20, they will take a C1-level test, which will determine who will advance to the final interviews.

Iryna Valentynivna Venediktova—Ukrainian public figure, lawyer, Doctor of Law, and professor. Prosecutor General of Ukraine from 2020 to 2022. Ambassador of Ukraine to Switzerland.

Vitalii Volodymyrovych GUTNYK—Doctor of Law, professor in the Department of International Law at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv.

Lev Yuriyovych Kishakevych – Judge of the Criminal Cassation Court within the Supreme Court.

Dmytro Oleksandrovych KOVAL – Associate Professor in the Department of International and European Law, Doctor of Philosophy in International Law, Co-Executive Director of the NGO “Truth Hounds.”

KOZLIYEVA, Zera Umerivna – Legal Director of the NGO “Truth Hounds.” Lawyer, specialist in international criminal law and the documentation of war crimes.

OLGA GRIGORIVNA LUNOVA – Judge of the Vuhledar City Court in Donetsk Oblast.

MEREZHKO Oleksandr Oleksandrovych – politician, Ukrainian legal scholar, international lawyer, Doctor of Juridical Sciences, professor.

Vladlen Mykhailovych Neklyudov – Ukrainian politician and lawyer. Member of the Ukrainian Parliament (9th convocation).

Ilya Sergeyevich NOVIKOV – lawyer, attorney, partner at the “Barristers” law firm, lecturer.

Vladislav Serhiyovych Ovsyannikov—judge of the Derhachi District Court of Kharkiv Oblast.

SENATOROVA Oksana Vasylivna – Associate Professor, Candidate of Legal Sciences at the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University

Vyacheslav Oleksiyovych Tulyakov – legal scholar, specialist in criminal law, criminology, and victimology; Doctor of Law; professor. Vice Rector for International Relations at the National University “Odessa Law Academy.”

Oleksiy Anatoliyovych SHEVCHUK – attorney, managing partner of the “Barristers” law firm, public figure, radio host, and television host.

In accordance with current standards, the testing will be conducted online via the ZOOM platform. The commission has ensured an individualized approach: each candidate will receive a personal link and login time via email.

​The testing program includes more than just a language exam; it focuses on professional competence: ​

• Professional Interview: Candidates must present their career path—from their education and achievements in law to their strategic vision for the ICS’s activities.
• Legal Challenge: The most difficult section, in which the examiner will present a “case scenario.” The candidate must immediately provide a legal analysis in a foreign language, demonstrating knowledge of international norms.
• Two-way Interpretation: Oral interpretation of professional texts (150–180 words) from English into Ukrainian and vice versa.

For those who pass the exam, the competition will continue next week. The final interviews with the selection committee will take place on March 24–25, 2026. The exact schedule of meetings will be announced as soon as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides the results of the language test.