The Conference of Participants of the Register of Damage for Ukraine came together in Strasbourg for its 7th meeting on 5 June, marking another important milestone in the development and operation of the Register.
A key item on the agenda was the election of a new Bureau, as the current Bureau’s mandate ends on 27 June. The Conference elected Ambassador Niklas Kebbon, Permanent Representative of Sweden to the Council of Europe, as Chair; Mr Emil Ruffer, Director of the International Law Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, as First Vice-Chair; and Ambassador Svetlana Geleva, Permanent Representative of North Macedonia to the Council of Europe, as Second Vice-Chair. Their three-year terms will commence on 28 June 2026.
The Conference expressed its sincere appreciation to the outgoing Bureau members, Ambassadors Sandy Moss (United Kingdom) and Tanja Gonggrijp (the Netherlands), for their leadership, dedication, and guidance during a critical phase of the Register’s establishment and growth and warmly welcomed the newly elected Bureau.
Concluding his term as Chair, Ambassador Sandy Moss stated:
“To truly deliver for Ukraine and its people, we must work collectively to achieve three things: ensure that every Ukrainian, both inside and outside the country, knows about the Register and how to submit a claim; establish the Claims Commission as soon as possible to provide clarity and tangible progress for what comes next; and secure global participation to demonstrate that accountability is backed by a broad international coalition standing with Ukraine. Ultimately, the Register is about people – every loss must be recorded – and our responsibility as a Conference of Participants is to provide unwavering political support and strategic direction. I am confident that Conference members will continue working together to build an effective and credible compensation mechanism that delivers compensation for Ukraine and its people, reminding the world that we will stand with Ukraine and pursue accountability and justice for as long as it takes.”
Upon his election, Ambassador Kebbon remarked:
“I am both glad and humbled to assume the Chairmanship of the Conference of Participants at this important stage in the development of the Register of Damage for Ukraine. The Register's achievements to date are impressive, but our work is far from complete. Building on the strong foundations already established, we must continue advancing the international compensation mechanism and ensure that the path from documenting damage to delivering justice remains clear and effective. This remains an essential element for a just and lasting peace."
The Conference also received a comprehensive update from the Executive Director Markiyan Kliuchkovskyi, who highlighted the Register’s rapid progress and significant achievements since becoming operational.
Since opening for the submission of claims on 2 April 2024, the Register has made steady and substantial progress. To date, it has received over 160,000 claims and has officially recorded more than 45,000 of them, reflecting the scale of demand for the mechanism and the continued advancement of its work.
With regard to the Convention establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine, the Conference welcomed the completion of domestic ratification procedures by Estonia, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, and the European Union. Participants encouraged continued engagement by all signatories to facilitate the Commission’s swift establishment and operationalisation.
