The Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine Iryna Mudra participated in the second annual High-Level Side Event on accountability for Ukraine in New York. The main focus of the Ukrainian delegation was on holding russia accountable for the terrible crimes committed after the invasion of Ukraine by the russian federation.

On 14 November 2022, the UN General Assembly Resolution (UN GA) ‘Furtherance of remedy and reparation for aggression against Ukraine’ ES‑11/5 was adopted during the eleventh emergency special session of the UN GA and is calling for russia to pay war reparations to Ukraine by creating an international compensation mechanism for the damage caused by the full-scale russian invasion. 

On 23 February 2023, the UN General Assembly adopted a Resolution ‘Principles of the Charter of the United Nations underlying a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine’ ES-11/6 and condemned russia’s aggression against Ukraine as a clear violation of the UN Charter. It demands that russia “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all its military forces from the territory of Ukraine” as it is violating its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

“For more than one year and a half governments of many states are strongly condemning russian aggression. They're united in order to hold russia as an aggressor state accountable and aim to restore justice”, said Iryna Mudra.

In her speech during the debate at the UN Security Council, she also stressed the importance of:

Ensuring redirection of the confiscated russian assets for compensation for damages to the Ukrainians and Ukraine.

Establishment of an international compensation mechanism in order to overcome sovereign immunity of russia as an aggressor state that launched an unprecedented war against Ukraine.

Iryna Mudra also emphasized the importance of implementation and improvement of compensatory mechanisms for damages, caused by russia: “The price of the violation of the international order must be established. The process of repurposing of russian sovereign assets to Ukraine is a last resort, but it is a response in terms of extraordinary challenge to the international community”.

The Action Plan for the implementation of p. 7 of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Peace Formula "Restoration of Justice" was presented, which included:

Ensuring effective investigation on national level and launch of the Center for Coordination of Victims and Witnesses.

Securing accountability for the crime of aggression: the establishment of an “ad hoc” Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression committed by russia against Ukraine. Ukraine called on the UN to determine architecture of the special tribunal and also called member states to start preparation of the relevant founding treaty.

Partnership with the international justice mechanisms: cooperation with the International Criminal Court (on 14 September they had opened an office in Ukraine), also cooperation with the UN Commission of Inquiry, Eurojust, Interpol and Europol regarding cases connected to international crimes.

Reparation and compensation of damage caused to victims of the russian aggression and reconstruction of Ukraine: necessary to continue increasing and toughening of sanctioning measures which can recede russia’s and its facilitators abilities to wage aggression against Ukraine. 

Therefore, attention was focused on the active work of the International Register of Damages due to further implementation of the entire Compensation Mechanism. The Ukrainian delegation also called on the UN countries that supported the creation of the Mechanism to join the Treaty on the International Register of Damages caused by russian aggression against Ukraine.

“Ensuring collective implementation of the announced actions for restoration of justice will be a strong signal to the global community that rule-based order works and international law matters, and its violations such as aggression will inevitably have serious consequences for the perpetrators”, said Iryna Mudra.