A conference on restoring justice and reparations for Ukraine has started in the Netherlands

Among the speakers is the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan.

Last year, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his commissioner for children’s rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, on charges of illegally deporting Ukrainian children.

Also in March, the ICC said it had issued arrest warrants for two high-ranking Russian military officers for alleged crimes committed during the full-scale war in Ukraine.

“The people of Ukraine want justice to be done,” said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who came to the conference.

Opening the conference, Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot agreed with D. Kuleba, adding that tens of thousands of people were killed and injured during the war, and millions were forced to leave their homes.

“This has resulted in a long and well-documented list of international crimes. There are more than 100 thousand of them. and increasing,” she said.

“This figure not only emphasizes the severity of this aggression, but also the need to support Ukraine. Because if we don’t do it, the country’s justice system will eventually collapse under the weight of these atrocities,” added H. Breins Slot.

In addition, during the conference, the registry of damage caused during the Russian invasion was officially opened. From now on, victims of the war in Ukraine will be able to request compensation for the damage or injuries they suffered.

The register was established by the Council of Europe last May. The registry, which starts operating on Tuesday, will focus on reports of damage to or destruction of homes.

According to the Council of Europe, it is expected to receive from 300 thousand up to 600 thousand applications.

The Hague-based registry of damage caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine aims to be able to file more claims in the near future, including claims for damage to the country’s critical infrastructure.

The registry itself will not pay any benefits, but it is a step toward an as-yet-undeveloped international compensation mechanism.

The Hague is making every effort to ensure accountability for the crimes committed in Ukraine and to end their impunity. The city is home to the ICC and the International Center for the Prosecution of Aggression against Ukraine (ICPA), and the Dutch government is proposing to host a special tribunal for crimes of aggression.

Although the ICC investigates crimes in Ukraine, it does not have jurisdiction to prosecute the crime of aggression in this conflict.