On 16 December, leaders and high-ranking officials from Europe and around the world gathered at the World Forum in The Hague to lay the foundation for a new convention establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine.
The commission will serve as the second component of a compensatory mechanism addressing damages caused by Russia’s aggression and will be based on the existing Ukraine Damages Registry. The International Claims Commission will operate under the Council of Europe framework and will be open to other countries as well.
“From day one, the Council of Europe and its partners have supported Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s full-scale aggression. Through our joint efforts, we must now be ready to support Ukraine in achieving a fair and sustainable peace. The Ukraine Damages Registry and the International Claims Commission will serve as independent international instruments to address compensation for the damages caused by Russia’s war,” said Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset ahead of the event.
The Ukraine Damages Registry, established in 2023, collects and records claims submitted by individuals, organizations, and public authorities in Ukraine. Currently, 44 countries and the European Union have joined the registry, which already includes over 80,000 claims.
According to the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Georgia will be represented at the diplomatic conference in The Hague by Maka Bochorishvili. Georgia will sign the convention establishing the International Claims Commission for Ukraine, which will review claims for losses, damages, or compensation caused by Russia’s internationally recognized illegal actions in Ukraine since 24 February 2022.