Translated with AI
The International Claims Commission for Ukraine has been established in The Hague. It will decide on reparations payments to Ukraine for damages caused by Russian military aggression. The commission's creation was approved at a conference held on Tuesday, December 16, attended by dozens of high-ranking European officials, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas.
During the conference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that establishing a reparations mechanism is the first step toward peace. "It's not enough to force Russia to make a deal. It's not enough to force it to stop killing. We must force Russia to recognize that there are rules in the world," he stated.
The International Commission will be the second part of the reparations mechanism for Ukraine. The first part was the creation of a Registry of Damages for Ukraine, which has already received over 80,000 applications from individuals, organizations, and government agencies. The third element of the mechanism will be the creation of a compensation fund for the country's reconstruction.
Dutch Foreign Minister David van Wiel noted that the establishment of the commission is an important step in promoting accountability for the military conflict. "Without accountability, the conflict cannot be fully resolved. And part of that accountability is paying the compensation due. Today, we are taking a major step forward by establishing a claims commission and signing the corresponding agreement," he told reporters.
Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset emphasized that reparations issues must be included in peace negotiations. "Working together, we must be prepared to support Ukraine in achieving a just and lasting peace. The Register of Damage for Ukraine and the International Claims Commission will be the only independent international mechanisms addressing compensation for Russia's war," Berset noted.
The Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U) was established under the auspices of the Council of Europe on 17 May 2023 and became operational in April 2024. Forty-four states and the European Union have joined. The Register collects and records compensation claims in over 40 categories of damage, including physical injury, torture, sexual violence, forced deportation, and loss of property.
The World Bank estimates that the cost of Ukraine's recovery over the next decade will be $524 billion (€447 billion), almost three times the size of Ukraine's economy in 2024.
