On December 17, 2025, at the 104th session of the Danube Commission, a resolution “On the violation of the Belgrade Convention caused by the military actions of the Russian Federation” was adopted, initiated by Ukraine, which was later joined by Austria, Germany, Croatia, the Republic of Moldova, Romania and Slovakia.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha welcomed the Commission’s decision and noted that the document provides for the creation of a “Register of Damage in the Lower Danube Region Caused by Russian Military Actions” and the systematic collection of data on damage that impedes free and safe navigation.
"Another diplomatic victory for Ukraine in one of the oldest international organizations in the world - the Danube Commission. The resolution directly refers to the Enlarged Partial Agreement of the Council of Europe on the Register of Damage Caused by the Russian Federation's Aggression against Ukraine, in order to ensure the coherence of international mechanisms for fixing damage. The Commission also strictly condemned the military actions of the Russian Federation, which violate the basic principles and provisions of the Belgrade Convention on the Regime of Navigation on the Danube," the Minister noted.
According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, this decision was made possible on the basis of the decisions of the 12th extraordinary and 100th sessions of the Danube Commission, which effectively excluded the Russian Federation from the membership of the Commission, and is the result of almost a year of persistent work by Ukraine within the framework of the Danube Commission.
The Secretariat of the Danube Commission received a mandate to:
The document also empowers the Chairman of the Danube Commission to bring this decision to the attention of the President of the UN General Assembly, and also confirms the readiness to cooperate with international organizations to restore navigation and hold the Russian Federation accountable for the damage caused.
"This resolution is a key decision that strengthens international support for Ukraine, guarantees documentation of damage and restores justice for the Danube ports that have become the target of Russian aggression. I thank our international partners for their solidarity and support in adopting this decision, as well as the Ukrainian delegation for their hard work," said Oleksiy Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for the Reconstruction of Ukraine - Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine.
Andrii Sybiha expressed his gratitude to Ukraine's international partners - Germany, Austria, Croatia, the Republic of Moldova, Romania and Slovakia - for their solidarity, support and participation in promoting the decision, to all members of the Danube Commission and experts who participated in the discussion and adoption of the resolution.
The Minister also thanked the members of the Ukrainian delegation for their dedication and professionalism, which made this result possible.
"This resolution is an important strategic step that strengthens international support for Ukraine and guarantees the documentation of the damage caused by the aggression of the Russian Federation. In order to fulfill the strategic tasks set by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian diplomacy continues to systematically build the architecture of the Russian Federation's responsibility for its crimes and harm. Justice is an integral part of lasting peace," the diplomat said.
At the beginning of the session, at the initiative of the Ambassador of Ukraine to Hungary, Fyodor Sandor, the participants observed a minute of silence in honor of those who died as a result of Russia's armed aggression.