About 34 countries and European Union representatives signed a convention establishing the International Compensation Commission for Ukraine under the Council of Europe, the Council of Europe reports.
Leaders and senior officials from over 50 states attended the diplomatic conference in The Hague, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"Today — and this year — things are being created for Ukraine that should have started long ago, at least back in 2014. But in reality, given how many wars Russia has started or supported, this should have happened even earlier," Zelenskyy said at the conference.
The president outlined expectations for the mechanism: "We count on all compensation mechanisms — from the Damage Register and the Compensation Commission to the actual payments — to start operating and receive strong and sufficient international support so that people can truly feel that any losses caused by the war can be compensated."
He called for maintaining pressure on Russia as long as Ukrainian territory remains occupied.
Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the 35 signatories a "record" number. "Justice must prevail. Ukraine will not be left alone," the Council of Europe stated.
How the commission works
The Commission will function as an independent international body within the Council of Europe's institutional system. It will review claims for compensation for damage, losses, and harm caused by Russia's internationally wrongful actions in Ukraine or against Ukraine, and determine compensation amounts in each specific case.
The body builds on the existing Damage Register, which already operates and accepts claims from Ukrainian citizens through the Diia portal. The Commission will become the Register's successor, inheriting its digital platform and data.
Claims already submitted to the Register will later be accepted and reviewed by the Commission. They cover over 40 categories of damage, losses, or harm caused since 24 February 2022, within Ukraine's internationally recognized borders — from individuals, legal entities, and the state of Ukraine, including its regional and local authorities, state-owned or controlled institutions.
The compensation infrastructure includes several elements: a Special Tribunal on the crime of aggression against Ukraine, the Damage Register, and the International Compensation Commission for Ukraine.
Ukraine and its partners continue work on another element of the international compensation mechanism — a compensation fund to ensure practical implementation of the Commission's decisions.
