Without holding Russia accountable, there can be no just peace, - Schoof
Once peace is achieved, Ukraine and its partners must continue to systematically prepare to hold Russia accountable for its armed aggression, as this process will not happen on its own and requires purposeful decisions and actions.
This was announced by Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, according to Censor.NET, citing Ukrinform.
"Everyone feels the urgency, and a ceasefire finally seems like a real possibility," the prime minister said following yesterday's meeting of leaders in Berlin, adding that a just and lasting peace requires Russia to compensate Ukraine for the damage it has caused.
"And that is why we are here today to talk about reparations," said Schoof.
Today, everything revolves around justice, because without it there can be no fair and lasting peace. But justice does not come automatically. We need to lay the groundwork and prepare as thoroughly as possible. Today, we are taking the next step. We have established an International Claims Commission for Ukraine, which will deal with compensation for damage caused during the war," Schoof emphasized, recalling that every day in Ukraine, Russia "deliberately bombs houses and destroys businesses and infrastructure."
Rejecting the idea of impunity for Russia, the prime minister recalled that in the early stages of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the Netherlands to take the initiative in restoring justice.
"We enthusiastically accepted this invitation—as one would expect from a country where the promotion of international law and order is enshrined in the Constitution, a country where The Hague, known as the international city of peace and justice, is located, and where, since the founding of the Peace Palace, numerous international courts and tribunals have been established. Today, we are proud to continue this legacy," Schoof emphasized.
He noted that on the first day of the diplomatic conference, a resolution was adopted requesting the Netherlands to host the Claims Commission for Ukraine within the Council of Europe.
"It goes without saying that we are happy to agree to this. The Dutch government sees this as a logical next step in a long process," the prime minister said.
He recalled that the Netherlands is cooperating with Ukraine, the Council of Europe, and the countries represented at the Conference to achieve justice for Ukraine, noting the progress made, in particular the establishment of a special tribunal to investigate the crime of aggression against Ukraine, a register of damages, and now the launch of the Claims Commission.
"We are sending a very clear signal from The Hague that once peace has been achieved, justice must be allowed to take its course. And even after the war is over, Ukraine can continue to count on the Netherlands and all the other partners who are with us today," concluded the Dutch Prime Minister.
