THE HAGUE, Netherlands — In a significant multilateral development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alongside representatives from approximately thirty nations is poised to formally establish an international compensation body to address damages resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The ceremonial signing in The Hague occurs amidst complex diplomatic maneuvers, including recent peace discussions involving U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
President Zelenskyy demonstrated strategic flexibility by expressing willingness to suspend Ukraine’s NATO membership aspirations in exchange for concrete Western security guarantees, though he firmly rejected territorial concessions to Russia. “These security arrangements represent a viable mechanism to deter future Russian aggression,” Zelenskyy stated during a press interaction. “This position itself constitutes a substantial compromise from our perspective.”
The newly formed International Claims Commission, operating under the auspices of the Council of Europe’s human rights framework, will process Ukrainian claims for compensation regarding damages, losses, or injuries sustained since Russia’s full-scale invasion commenced in February 2022. This mechanism builds upon the existing Register of Damage for Ukraine established during the 2023 Council of Europe summit in Iceland, which has already cataloged approximately 80,000 claims.
Despite the political consensus, critical funding questions remain unresolved. While the Council of Europe maintains that Russia should ultimately bear financial responsibility, no clear enforcement mechanism exists to compel Moscow’s compliance. One prominent proposal involves utilizing frozen Russian assets worth tens of billions of dollars currently held in European jurisdictions.
The commission requires ratification from twenty-five nations to become operational, though over thirty countries—including European nations, Mexico, Japan, and Canada—are expected to participate initially, representing unprecedented support for a Council of Europe treaty initiative. The European Union has additionally indicated its intention to join the compensation framework.
Parallel to these reparations efforts, many participating nations have endorsed the establishment of a specialized international court under Council of Europe jurisdiction to prosecute senior Russian officials alleged to have committed crimes during the invasion. President Zelenskyy’s diplomatic agenda in the Netherlands further includes addressing the Dutch parliament and meeting with King Willem-Alexander.