Georgia, 43 other states sign declaration on “restoring justice” for Ukraine

Forty-four states, including Georgia, on Tuesday signed the Political Declaration of the Ministerial Conference on Restoring Justice for Ukraine in The Hague, expressing support for the establishment of a special tribunal for the crime of aggression and initiatives to use frozen Russian assets for the benefit of Ukraine.

The Conference featured 57 countries in total, with the declaration condemning Russia's aggression against Ukraine as a “blatant violation” of the international legal order and recalling the International Court of Justice’s ruling of March 16, 2022 that ordered Russia to stop the hostilities.

The countries called for increased joint efforts to ensure “proper investigation” and “accountability for all violations” of international law committed during Russia's war against Ukraine, including the crime of aggression.

The countries reaffirmed their intention to work towards the establishment of a special tribunal to bring Russia to justice for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, which they said would help punish the highest military and political leadership of the country.

In the second section of the declaration, which is dedicated to compensation for damage caused to Ukraine, the signatories reiterated Russian sovereign assets in their jurisdictions would remain frozen until the country stopped its aggression against Ukraine and paid for damages caused.

They also welcomed discussions on the possibility of using proceeds from these assets for the benefit of Ukraine.