The EU signed in The Hague the Convention for the International Compensation Commission for Ukraine

The European Union is taking a decisive step beyond sanctions and political declarations and is entering the phase of building a legal mechanism for compensating the victims of the war in Ukraine. By signing the Convention establishing the International Compensation Commission, the EU aims to transform the promise of holding Russia accountable into a concrete legal process with long-term effects. The EU signed in The Hague the Convention for the International Compensation Commission for UkraineDisplay image information European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas and Commissioner Michael McGrath signed, in The Hague, the Convention establishing the International Compensation Commission for Ukraine on behalf of the European Union. The Hague, December 16, 2025 – The European Commission signed, on behalf of the European Union, the Convention that establishes the International Compensation Commission for Ukraine, a new legal mechanism intended to assess and grant compensation for damages caused by Russia as a result of the war of aggression. The signing took place in The Hague, during a diplomatic conference organized by the Council of Europe and the Dutch government, in the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In short The European Commission signed, on behalf of the EU, the Convention establishing the International Compensation Commission for Ukraine. The new body will operate within the Council of Europe and will assess compensation claims for damages caused by Russia. The Commission is based on the Damage Register created in 2023, which has already collected over 70,000 claims. Ratification by the EU and member states is pending, as well as discussions regarding the creation of a compensation fund. In parallel, the EU is working on a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

The new body will operate within the Council of Europe and will have the mandate to analyze compensation claims submitted by individuals, companies, and the Ukrainian state for material losses, injuries, or destruction caused by the war. The Commission will determine the eligibility of claims and the amount of compensation due in each case, representing an essential step between documenting the damages and the actual payment of compensations.

The International Compensation Commission is based on the Damage Register for Ukraine, created in 2023, which already functions as an official database for documenting losses. According to European authorities, over 70,000 claims have already been registered, covering the destruction of homes, civil infrastructure, private property, and economic losses.

The signing of the Convention marks an important shift in approach at the European level. Until now, the focus has been on economic sanctions and financial support for Ukraine; the new step aims at the legal and financial accountability of the aggressor. The European Commission emphasizes, however, that the process will be a phased and lengthy one, and the establishment of the Commission does not mean immediate payment of compensations.

The next step is the ratification of the Convention by the European Union and member states. In parallel, the Commission is discussing with international partners possible legal pathways for creating a compensation fund, which would ensure the actual payment of compensations. One of the most sensitive questions remains the source of the funds, including the possibility of using frozen Russian assets.

Separate from the compensation mechanism, the EU and its partners are working on establishing a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression, aimed at prosecuting Russian political and military leaders. The two initiatives are designed as complementary tracks: one for criminal accountability, the other for financial compensation for victims.

Through this endeavor, the EU seeks to build a lasting legal architecture for post-conflict justice in Ukraine. Although concrete results will depend on ratifications, political decisions, and complex legal solutions, the signing of the Convention places the Union in a central role in defining how Europe manages the legal consequences of the war.

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