Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset has outlined three critical tests that any peace agreement to end the Russian-Ukrainian war must pass, warning that a flawed settlement would reshape security risks across Europe.
Speaking to Politico, Berset emphasized that negotiations and their potential outcomes should be viewed against the backdrop of "a far more contested international environment," making "what is left out of a deal as consequential as what is written into it."
The first test, according to Berset, is accountability. "Accountability is the first test of any peace in Ukraine," he said, pointing to the Council of Europe's establishment of the International Claims Commission last December as a step toward holding Russia responsible for the war. The body will examine and adjudicate claims for damage, loss and injury resulting from Russia's invasion, building on the Register of Damage for Ukraine.
The second requirement centers on legality. "Any peace and post-war recovery must be firmly grounded in international law, including the European Convention on Human Rights," Berset stated.
Security guarantees constitute the third test—robust measures and a credible legal framework to deter renewed aggression.
Berset warned that simply freezing a war of this magnitude would have far-reaching consequences. "Political trade-offs may be unavoidable in any peace agreement, but we should be mindful that sacrificing core principles like accountability carries long-term costs for stability," he said.
The Secretary General also cautioned that Russia would likely attempt to use any peace agreement, "even if deeply unjust," to restore its international standing. He noted that the Council of Europe, which expelled Russia in 2022, would be prepared to help navigate future relations with Moscow, but stressed the importance of protecting Ukraine's democratic commitments.
"This is why the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine focuses on strengthening democratic institutions, the rule of law and resilience to hybrid threats," Berset explained.
His comments come as European leaders continue processing the outcome of talks between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Florida, where both sides suggested progress had been made toward ending the war.
In December, a convention was signed establishing a compensation commission to award reparations to Ukrainians for losses and damage caused by Russian aggression.
