Committee of Ministers of Council of Europe approves creation of International Claims Commission for Ukraine

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has approved the Convention establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine.

"I welcome today's decision of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe provisionally adopting the Convention establishing the International Claims Commission for Ukraine.

This is the second, long-awaited element of the international compensation mechanism for victims of Russian aggression, which will address claims by individuals, legal entities and the Ukrainian state.

We look forward to its adoption in The Hague on 15-16 December and call on all partners to join this historic effort to deliver justice and accountability.

Compensation for victims is an essential element of a just and lasting peace – for Ukraine, Europe, and beyond," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said the decision marks "a monumental step toward establishing an international compensation mechanism for victims of Russia's aggression, and a significant milestone in the pursuit of accountability".

"Estonia fully supports the Convention's adoption. All crimes of aggression must carry a price," he added.

On 1 October, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe approved the draft Convention establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine.

The agreement on the Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U) was adopted in May 2023 at a Council of Europe summit in Iceland. Markiian Kliuchkovskyi was appointed executive director of the Hague-based RD4U.

By May 2025, the Register already had over 27,500 claims across various categories.