European and Ukrainian leaders have launched an International Claims Commission in The Hague to seek compensation for damage caused by Russia’s war on Ukraine. The move, backed by European partners, targets losses worth hundreds of billions of dollars linked to Russian attacks and alleged war crimes

The move, endorsed by 35 countries, targets hundreds of billions of dollars in losses from Russian attacks and alleged war crimes.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended the signing alongside Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and foreign ministers from Moldova and other European partners. The one-day conference was co-hosted by the Netherlands and the Council of Europe.

“This war and Russia’s responsibility for it must become a clear example so that others learn not to choose aggression,” Zelenskyy said. “Every Russian war crime must have consequences for those who committed them. We expect that every mechanism, from the Register of Damage and Claims Commission to actual payments, will start working with strong international support so that people can truly feel that any kind of damage caused by the war can be compensated.”

The commission is tasked with reviewing reparation claims and determining amounts to be paid. It follows the creation of a Register of Damages about two years ago, which has already received over 80,000 claims from Ukraine.

Discussions on how damages will be financed are ongoing. EU countries have frozen hundreds of billions of euros of Russian assets, and these are being considered as a potential source for compensation, although no transfers have yet been legally authorised. Belgium, which hosts the international deposit organisation Euroclear holding most of the frozen assets, has expressed concerns about potential legal repercussions.

Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel said the launch marked “a big step” towards accountability. “Without accountability, a conflict cannot be fully resolved. And part of that accountability is also paying damages that have been done,” he added.

The commission’s launch coincides with renewed U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that an agreement to end the war was “closer than ever” following discussions with the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and NATO.

The World Bank estimates that reconstruction costs in Ukraine from damage caused by Russia up to December 2024 totalled $524 billion, nearly three times Ukraine’s economic output that year. This figure does not include additional damage from attacks on utilities and critical infrastructure in 2025.

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