Netherlands to host International Claims Commission for Ukraine
The Netherlands has announced that it will host the International Claims Commission for Ukraine, which will deal with compensation claims for damage inflicted in Ukraine during the war. The announcement, which came on 16 December at a ministerial diplomatic conference in The Hague, followed the adoption of an international resolution inviting the Netherlands to host the newly established Claims Commission.
This is a new step in the development of a crucial international compensation mechanism enabling victims of Russian aggression in Ukraine to receive compensation for damage they have suffered. It is a long and complex process consisting of three parts: a Register of Damage, a Claims Commission and a Compensation Fund.
The Register of Damage for Ukraine, which is also based in The Hague, has been accepting claims from Ukraine since 2024, and has now received over 80,000. The signing of the Convention establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine is a historic step towards reparation and compensation for the damage inflicted on Ukraine by Russia. The new body will assess all damage claims registered to date from Ukrainian citizens, businesses and institutions. The third part of the process will be to establish a Compensation Fund. This mechanism not only offers the prospect of financial compensation, but is also an important acknowledgement of the damage suffered by the victims of Russian aggression.
For many decades, The Hague has been home to a wide range of international courts, tribunals and organisations. Since the Register of Damage is also located in The Hague, the decision to establish the Claims Commission in the Netherlands too was a logical one, and it is in keeping with The Hague’s status as the international city of peace and justice.
Compensating victims for the damage they have suffered is a key element of any just and lasting peace for Ukraine. The Netherlands, working alongside its international partners, is committed to achieving this. We stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, both in its fight for justice and in its wider struggle.