The EU may join a system of compensation to Ukraine for damages caused by Russia's actions.

The European Parliament approved the European Union's accession to the convention establishing an international mechanism for compensation to Ukraine for damage caused by Russia's actions. The decision was made on Thursday, April 30.

According to the voting results, 465 deputies supported the initiative, 57 voted against, and 47 abstained. A total of 569 parliamentarians participated in the vote.

The proposal concerns the creation of an International Claims Commission for Ukraine. This body will consider claims for compensation for damage, losses, and harm caused by Russia's actions that violate international law. The commission will evaluate incoming claims and determine the amount of compensation on a case-by-case basis.

The European Union has already signed the convention establishing the Commission in December 2025. The current decision by the European Parliament is part of the procedure necessary for the EU's final accession to this mechanism. Now the corresponding decision must be taken by member states at the EU Council level.

The EU Council document concluding the convention emphasizes that Russia must bear the legal consequences of its internationally unlawful actions, including the obligation to compensate for the damage caused.

The compensation mechanism includes several elements. These include the existing Register of Damages, the future International Claims Commission, and a compensation fund from which payments to victims are expected to be made.

However, the commission will only be able to begin its work after at least 25 countries or regional organizations have ratified the convention and provided the necessary funding.

The creation of the commission is part of a broader compensation system being developed within the Council of Europe. Forty-four states and the European Union have already joined the Register of Damage.

The European Parliament's decision means the EU's consent to the convention, but the final decision on this issue must be taken by the bloc's member states in the EU Council.