On October 26, the 8th meeting of the Conference of Participants of the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine took place. The meeting was attended online by Yevhen Perebyinis, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, along with representatives from the Register’s participating states, associate members, and the European Union.
Yevhen Perebyinis expressed his gratitude to the Chair of the Conference of Participants, Niklas Kebbon; the Executive Director of the Register, Markiyan Kliuchkovskyi; and the Board and Secretariat for their efforts, which enabled the Register to become fully operational this year. He noted that by the end of September, all 43 categories of claims had been opened. The total number of submitted claims has exceeded 200,000, with more than 65,000 already entered into the Register.
The Deputy Minister drew attention to Russia’s massive attacks, which have resulted in the loss of human lives, including children. These attacks have damaged residential buildings and critical infrastructure. He also highlighted the systematic strikes targeting warehouse and logistics infrastructure, including facilities belonging to companies from the Register’s participating states.
"Each such strike will eventually become a claim; therefore, it is crucial that an institution capable of reviewing it exists when that time comes," emphasized Yevhen Perebyinis. The Deputy Minister provided an update on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' efforts to inform Ukrainian citizens abroad about the option to submit claims to the Register via Ukraine’s diplomatic missions, diaspora communities, and business associations. He noted that, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Digital Transformation, work is underway to enable foreign nationals to submit claims, including in English.
At the same time, Yevhen Perebyinis emphasized that while the Register documents the damages incurred, decisions regarding compensation will be made by the International Compensation Commission for Ukraine. The establishment of this Commission depends on the pace at which the relevant Convention is ratified.
The Deputy Minister expressed gratitude to the states that have already ratified the Convention on the Establishment of the International Compensation Commission for Ukraine and welcomed its signing by the Slovak Republic. He urged signatory states to expedite their domestic procedures, noting that 14 additional ratifications are required for the Convention to enter into force.
Yevhen Perebyinis specifically addressed the third component of the international compensation mechanism: the compensation fund. He underscored that Ukraine’s position remains unchanged: the aggressor state must pay for the damage caused. He argued that, alongside the ratification of the Convention, discussions should begin regarding the principles of the future fund and its funding sources - specifically through the use of Russian sovereign assets, in accordance with international law.