How a step toward reparations for Ukrainians was taken in The Hague

On Tuesday, 16 December, the world moved slightly closer to a moment of demonstrative, public punishment of the aggressor state for its crimes against Ukraine.

It is about the establishment of a commission that will issue legally binding decisions on the amount of reparations or compensation that all affected Ukrainians, as well as Ukrainian businesses and the Ukrainian state, will be entitled to receive.

The convention establishing such a commission was signed on the very first day at the meeting in The Hague by a record number of states, according to the Council of Europe, under whose umbrella the new instrument has been created.

However, at least half the journey still lies ahead and even optimists admit this will be the hardest part. Still, one message in The Hague was unmistakable: Russia must be punished under any circumstances. Otherwise, a new wave of aggression, not only from Russia, would be inevitable.

Read more details about the reparations commission and the surprises Ukraine encountered during the signing ceremony in the article by Sergiy Sydorenko, European Pravda's editor (from The Hague): The Hague has moved one step closer: how US and Orbán did not stop the 'anti-Russian' commission. 

In essence, another stage has been completed in The Hague along the path that Ukraine is forging together with the Council of Europe by creating new international instruments through this organisation.

The goal is to impose financial punishment on Russia for the damage it has inflicted on Ukraine during the full-scale war.

The foundation of this process was laid by a decision back in the autumn of 2022, when Ukraine, with the support of the then still friendly US administration, gathered the votes of nearly 100 states – a truly significant number – in support of a UN General Assembly resolution on Russia’s responsibility.

After that, the process moved forward but slowly.

The first stage was the creation in The Hague of an international register in which Ukrainians can submit claims against the aggressor via the Diia app.

The mechanism created in The Hague on 16 December 16 takes the next step: it will determine the amount of compensation for a specific individual as punishment of the Russian state for its actions.

After that, the issue of paying reparations will shift from "if" to "when."

In The Hague, 34 states solemnly signed the international convention establishing this mechanism, along with the European Union as an institution.

Another 10 states signed the conference’s "final act." In other words, they made a political commitment to sign the convention but have not yet completed their domestic procedures to do so.

Now comes the fight to launch the reparations commission. It is not enough to sign the treaty. It must be ratified as quickly as possible. Only after 25 states have ratified the agreement will the process move forward, though far more will be needed to ensure genuine international legitimacy.

And then comes the hardest part: finding the money for the payments and determining how to seize it from Russia. This will ultimately determine when Ukrainians will actually receive the reparations awarded to them.

The signing ceremony brought Ukraine several surprises.

Georgia’s foreign minister, Maka Bochorishvili, personally travelled to The Hague and delivered a passionate speech in support of the Ukrainian people. The country also signed the "anti-Russian" convention.

An even more intriguing story unfolded around Hungary. As is well known, all EU foreign policy decisions require unanimity.

Hungary, which predictably did not join the convention, nevertheless greenlit the EU’s signing of it on 9 December.

Even more important is the attitude of the United States toward this process. However, much greater uncertainty remains on that front.