A reparations body for Ukraine was established in The Hague today. The required funding will come from different sources, the secretary general of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, told DW's correspondent.

The Hague

Russian forces have invaded Ukraine from land, air and sea with strikes causing widespread damage. Global leaders have condemned the move and imposed sanctions.

Ukraine Invasion

The Council of Europe, together with 34 countries and the European Union, has established the International Claims Commission for Ukraine to enable Ukrainian individuals and companies to seek compensation for damages resulting from the war with Russia. The commission is designed to create a legal framework for reparations, with funding sources still under discussion and potentially including contributions from countries and Russian frozen assets.

The ratification process for participating states is expected to take time, but officials emphasize the strong political momentum behind the initiative. The Council of Europe aims to ensure accountability and reparations for all victims, marking a significant step in international efforts to address the consequences of the conflict in Ukraine.

Council of Europe seeks reparations for all Ukraine victims

34 countries plus the European Union all signed off on the setting up of the International Claims Commission for Ukraine. It's a body which will hopefully allow Ukrainian people to claim compensation for the destruction that has happened in their lives as part of Russia's war against Ukraine. Now the Council of Europe is the body that is going to be taking charge of this Commission and I have the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset with me. Tell us how is this going to work? What is the plan? How will Ukrainians get money out of this Commission? I mean the goal is clear. The goal is to bring reparations for the destruction in Ukraine for individuals for companies. I mean the goal is really to have compensation and reparation but you know one step after another. Today we are creating the legal framework with the Claims Commission and it is really a very important step. It happens two years after the register of damage making more concrete what will happen and then we need to have a discussion on the funding and make sure yes it is the goal to have really reparations for all the victims. Now as you say the funding where this money will actually come from is unclear. You don't decide that today. Where do you think it might come from in the long run? I'm quite sure it will come from different sources. You know I mean it will come from different sources from countries. There is a discussion on the Russian frozen asset. Clearly we have some countries already having decided to have some money for reparation and reconstruction in Ukraine. It could be part you know also of the reconstruction the reparation made in the context of the Claims Commission. I mean this will be the discussion that the states signing the convention and participating to the Claims Commission will have to do in the next few weeks and months. First of all we need to have signatories, states joining and then we need to have well the ratification process and it will take some time. I hope it will be fast. We need to have also a strong will of the countries to do this happen but we need also to have respect for democratic processes in the countries joining and it will also ensure the stability that we need for the Claims Commission and for this work. International commissions like this are sort of famously they struggle to have the effect that they want to have. Why do you think that this one for Ukraine will work where others may have failed? First of all there is a huge political momentum. I mean it's clear what's happening today is history. I mean it's the first time ever that for a convention of the Council of Europe we will have 34 countries plus the EU signing at the very first day where it is possible to do this. This is a huge political momentum first point. This political momentum follows what happened with the register of damage you know. We are doing one step after another and it can take it takes time that's true but the most important thing is to be in movement and to have well reparation and to have accountability at the end because you know the very simple question we try to answer is do we want to live in a world where destruction, war, violence and impunity will prevail or do we choose a world where rule of law accountability and peaceful relations and dialogue prevail. That's exactly the question that we have in this context. Alain Berset, thank you so much for joining us on DW.

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Council of Europe seeks reparations for all Ukraine victims

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Ukraine Invasion