European countries on Tuesday formally launched an International Claims Commission for Ukraine, a new legal body aimed at documenting and assessing compensation for the vast destruction caused by Russia’s invasion, with damages estimated in the hundreds of billions of dollars.
The commission was inaugurated in The Hague during a high-level gathering attended by dozens of leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The move comes as diplomatic efforts led by the United States intensify to explore an end to the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Speaking at the ceremony, Zelenskiy said accountability was essential to any lasting peace.
“Every Russian war crime must have consequences,” he said, adding that peace could not rest solely on halting the fighting but on enforcing international rules and responsibility.
A total of 34 European leaders signed a convention at the meeting to formally establish the commission.
What the Commission Will Do
The new body, which will be based in the Netherlands, is designed to:
• Review and verify claims for damage, loss or injury caused by Russian actions in or against Ukraine
• Determine compensation awards on a case-by-case basis
• Build on the existing Register of Damage for Ukraine, created by the Council of Europe in 2023
The register has already received more than 86,000 claims from individuals, businesses, organisations and public authorities across Ukraine, covering losses ranging from destroyed homes and infrastructure to personal injury and displacement.
Claims may be filed by private individuals, companies or the Ukrainian state, provided the damage resulted from acts committed on or after February 24, 2022, and involves violations of international law.
No Immediate Payouts
European officials stressed that the commission does not guarantee swift compensation. Key questions remain unresolved, including how any approved claims would ultimately be paid.
Early discussions have included the possibility of using Russian state assets frozen by the European Union, potentially supplemented by contributions from member states. However, no final funding mechanism has been agreed.
“The objective is to have validated claims that will eventually be paid by Russia,” said Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel. “This commission itself offers no guarantee of payment.”
Legal and Political Challenges Ahead
Russia did not immediately comment on the launch of the commission. The Kremlin has consistently denied allegations of war crimes and has described proposals to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine as illegal, warning of retaliation.
Compensation efforts could also be complicated by future peace negotiations. Proposals previously floated by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump have included the possibility of amnesty provisions for wartime actions—an idea that could conflict with accountability and reparations efforts.
Scale of Destruction
According to the World Bank, Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction needs are estimated at $524 billion over the next decade—nearly three times the country’s projected 2024 economic output. That estimate covers damage only through December 2024 and excludes destruction caused by intensified Russian drone and missile attacks this year on energy systems, transport networks and civilian infrastructure.
Next Steps
The convention establishing the commission was drafted by more than 50 states and the EU under the auspices of the Council of Europe. It will enter into force once at least 25 signatories ratify it and sufficient funding is secured for its operations.
Founded in 1949, the Council of Europe has positioned the commission as a cornerstone of a broader international compensation mechanism, intended to ensure that victims of the war are formally recognised and that responsibility for Ukraine’s devastation is legally documented—even if payment remains a longer-term goal.
