The commission's task will be to assess claims for damages submitted on the basis of losses caused to Ukraine by Russia's aggression and to determine the amount of compensation due.

According to Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200), the establishment of the commission is an important step towards holding Russia accountable.

"Through its aggression, Russia violates international norms every day," Tsahkna said.

"Victims of this war machine include the people of Ukraine, its cities, infrastructure, as well as nature and the environment. The claims commission, together with the already functioning register of damages, will help ensure that impunity does not take root and that all crimes committed receive just compensation."

The minister added that the next step involves finding practical and internationally workable solutions through which the compensation determined by the commission can actually be paid out.

"Ukraine must receive fair compensation for all the damage caused – for the recovery of people, the economy and the natural environment. It is therefore extremely important that the convention gain the widest possible international support and that allied countries jointly contribute to establishing the necessary mechanisms," Tsahkna said.

"The creation of a compensation mechanism concerns not only Ukraine, but also the credibility of the entire international legal order."

The claims commission will form the second pillar of the comprehensive international compensation mechanism for Ukraine.

The first is the Register of Damage for Ukraine, established in May 2023 under the framework of the Council of Europe, which collects and records claims and the corresponding evidence. To date, more than 100,000 claims have been entered into the register.

The Register of Damage for Ukraine has recently opened a new category of claims for people who were forced to flee Ukraine as a result of the Russian Federation's full-scale invasion. The claims commission will verify the legitimacy of the claims and determine the compensation amounts. The next step will be to establish a compensation fund, which will pay out the claims approved by the commission to the Ukrainian state, individuals and companies.

The convention establishing the commission was signed by 34 countries and the EU on December 16.

 The convention will enter into force once it has been ratified by at least 25 signatories whose contributions to the budget are sufficient to ensure the sustainable financing of the commission's work.

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