Georgia to Join International Claims Commission Aimed at Securing Compensation for Ukraine
By Liza Mchedlidze
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Georgia will sign a convention establishing the International Claims Commission for Ukraine, reinforcing international efforts to seek compensation for damage caused by Russia's war against Ukraine, the Georgian Foreign Ministry announced on December 16.
Georgian Dream Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili is scheduled to attend a diplomatic conference in The Hague held under the auspices of the Council of Europe, where the convention formally launching the commission will be signed. Georgian officials confirmed that the country will be among the participating states backing the new legal mechanism.
"The Commission will serve as a body mandated to examine claims for compensation for damage, loss, or injury caused by the Russian Federation's internationally wrongful acts in or against Ukraine on or after 24 February 2022," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The launch event brings together senior European and Ukrainian leaders. Among those attending are Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, and European Union High Representative Kaja Kallas.
The International Claims Commission is intended to become a cornerstone of a wider international compensation framework addressing Russia's aggression against Ukraine. It builds on the existing Register of Damage for Ukraine, which has been collecting evidence of losses suffered since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. While the commission will operate within the Council of Europe system, its design allows non-member states to take part.
Formal negotiations on establishing the commission began earlier this year, led jointly by the Netherlands and Ukraine with the support of the Council of Europe. More than 50 states, along with the European Union, participated in drafting the convention, which remains open for other countries and regional organizations to join.
Ahead of the conference, Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset stressed the need for continued international backing for Ukraine. "The Council of Europe and partners have been supporting Ukraine in resisting Russia's full-scale aggression since day one," Berset said. "Working together, we must now be ready to support Ukraine in achieving a just and lasting peace."
Georgia's participation places it among a growing group of countries seeking to strengthen legal and institutional avenues for accountability and reparations, even as the war continues and diplomatic efforts toward a resolution remain ongoing.
