Leaders from across Europe began on Tuesday a two-day summit in Iceland focused on holding Russia accountable for its invasion of Ukraine and preparing to approve a system that would determine exactly what Moscow needs to pay to rebuild the nation and compensate victims.
The 46-nation Council of Europe and the continent’s leading human rights organization launched its first summit in 18 years on Tuesday. The meeting focused on fully supporting Ukraine, which is a member state, and condemning Russia, which was expelled from the organization, for inciting war on its neighbor.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal declared, “We take the first real step on our way to find a solution that will compensate for these atrocities and damages brought by Russia to Ukraine.”
Although almost all European countries have provided military support to Ukraine or received its refugees, the Council of Europe is in a unique position to coordinate legal and judicial support for Kiev.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, “If we think in terms of reconstruction, having this record of damage to bring justice to the victims is a very important judicial element.”
Dozens of Europe’s top leaders arrived in Iceland ready to tighten the legal screws around the Kremlin after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky received several commitments of military equipment in Italy, Germany, France and the United Kingdom during the DeMarch long weekend.
Speaking via teleconference from Kiev, Zelensky told leaders: “Without justice there will be no credible peace.” French President Emmanuel Macron promised all the leaders gathered there that “we will continue to provide our tireless support for Ukraine.”
