Norway Joins International Effort to Establish Ukraine Claims Commission

Norway Commits to Ukraine War Reparations

Norway officially signed the convention establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine on December 16, 2025, in The Hague. This move marks a significant step in the international community's efforts to ensure compensation for victims of Russia's ongoing war of aggression in Ukraine. The signing ceremony saw representatives from over 50 countries, with 34 or 35 states and the European Union signing the convention on its opening day.

State Secretary Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik signed the convention on behalf of Norway. He emphasized the importance of this development, stating, 'This is an important day for all the victims of Russia's illegal war against Ukraine. With the establishment of the Claims Commission, they are one step closer to receiving compensation for the massive losses and damages they have suffered. At the same time, we send a clear signal to the aggressor: Russia will be held accountable.'

A Three-Pillar Compensation Mechanism

The newly established Claims Commission is the second of three integral components designed to create a comprehensive international compensation mechanism for Ukraine. The framework operates under the auspices of the Council of Europe.

• Register of Damage: The first component, the Register of Damage for Ukraine, was established in May 2023. It serves as a central repository for collecting and recording claims from individuals, organizations, and public bodies in Ukraine who have suffered losses due to the conflict. The Register has already received between 80,000 and 86,000 claims.
• Claims Commission: The International Claims Commission will be responsible for reviewing, assessing, and deciding on these claims, determining the amount of compensation due in each case.
• Compensation Fund: The third and final component will be a Compensation Fund, which will provide the financial resources for the actual payments. Discussions are ongoing regarding the sources of funding for this mechanism, with the potential use of frozen Russian assets being a key consideration.

International Support and Accountability

The diplomatic conference in The Hague saw high-level attendance, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas. President Zelenskyy underscored the importance of robust international support for the entire compensation process, stating, 'We expect that every mechanism for compensation – from the Register of Damage and Claims Commission to the actual payments – will start working and receive strong and sufficient international support, so that people can truly feel that any kind of damage caused by the war can be compensated.'

Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset highlighted that the commission offers 'justice and hope for tens of thousands of victims.' The convention will officially enter into force once it has been ratified by 25 signatory states and sufficient funds have been secured to support its initial operations.