Netherlands allocates $11 million to help Ukraine investigate Russian war crimes

The Netherlands had pledged 10 million euros ($10.8 million) to help Ukraine investigate Russian war crimes, Dutch Foreign Minister Bruins Slot said on April 2 at the Restoring Justice for Ukraine Conference.

The event was held in The Hague and chaired by Slot, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Dutch Justice Minister Dilan Yesilgoz, and European Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders. Over 60 countries were invited to attend.

Two years ago, the Netherlands launched the so-called Dialogue Group to coordinate international efforts in pursuit of justice for Ukraine. The group's work consists of four "workstreams:" international support for Ukraine, actions taken by regional and international institutions, national investigations, and documentation initiatives by civil society groups.

Speaking at the conference, Slot noted progress in all four workstreams, namely in investigations of Russian crimes committed against children.

"And we need to ensure our work can continue. In order to strengthen capacity and skills for national research and investigations, the Netherlands will make 10 million euros available for this purpose," Slot said.

The minister also said that a compensation mechanism called the Register of Damage for Ukraine that allows Ukrainians to enter claims for damages to their property caused by Russia's invasion is now operational and has already processed over 100 claims.

"The road to accountability is a long one. We will have to walk that road with dedication and endurance. But above all, we will have to walk it together. Only then can we achieve justice and eradicate impunity," the Dutch minister commented.

The conference also saw 44 countries sign a declaration calling for the establishment of a special tribunal to investigate and prosecute Russian crimes.

Ukrainian officials have documented thousands of war crimes committed by Russian forces, including deliberate attacks on civilians, attacks on cultural sites or medical institutions, torture, and deportations.

The Prosecutor General's Office reported on March 18 that Ukraine had collected pretrial information on over 128,000 victims of war crimes.

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Editor’s Note: The story is based on the documentary “Destroy, in Whole or in Part,” published by the Kyiv Independent’s War Crimes Investigations Unit. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has committed thousands of crimes in Ukraine. Ivan Vyhivskyi, the National Police head, said t…

The Kyiv IndependentDanylo Mokryk