The Hague may become home for mechanism obliging Russia to compensate Ukraine for war damages

That’s according to the Deputy Head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, Iryna Mudra, who spoke in an exclusive comment to an Ukrinform correspondent in The Hague.

"Such a proposal does exist, and we support it. The Hague is the capital of international justice, and placing the Commission in this city would be important. But this and other details are yet to be agreed, we are just starting work on the Commission," she said.

Answering the question of how many countries are participating in developing the compensation mechanism for Ukraine, Mudra noted that 53 states, the EU, and Council of Europe participated in the inaugural meeting. In 2022, a total of 94 states supported the need to create a mechanism. "Therefore, we invite them all to join," the official added.

According to Mudra, "today, the first preparatory meeting was completed, where the basic conditions of work regarding the creation of the Commission were determined, therefore there cannot be any agreements on the substance or specific conditions yet. The creation of international instruments requires considerable time and diplomatic efforts, and we are moving with the maximum possible pace for such processes."

Mudra also noted that the Damage Register is an integral part and the first of three elements of the compensation mechanism.

"We plan to create the second Commission by the end of next year, after which we will start work on the final Fund," Mudra said.

As reported by Ukrinform, the Netherlands discussed the creation of a Commission to consider applications for compensation from Russia. The work of the first preparatory meeting on the international instrument for creating a commission that would consider applications for Ukraine in the framework of compensation for damages due to Russian aggression was completed in The Hague.

Photo: Mudra, Facebook