Welkomstwoord ontvangst delegatie Ze!Women, 3 juni 2025
Ladies,
A warm welcome to The Hague, the international city of peace and justice.
The city which had the honour of welcoming President Zelensky, two years ago.
Russian terror attacks are the opposite of what The Hague stands for:
Peace, justice and non-violent resolution of conflicts.
[International organizations established in response to the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia]
Currently, there are two international organizations in The Hague established in response to the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
A. The Register of Damage for Ukraine.
It was established to register and assess claims submitted by Ukrainians for damages caused by the war.
This register is an important step towards a mechanism that ensures justice and compensation for Ukraine and its people.
It handles various types of damage claims, including damage to homes, infrastructure, and personal injuries.
A Claims Commission is being developed and will become the executive arm of the Register of Damage.
B. The International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression (ICPA).
An international organization focused on investigating and prosecuting war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the war in Ukraine.
This center, part of Eurojust, facilitates cooperation between national authorities and assists in the collection and exchange of evidence.
The ICPA primarily targets the political and military leaders responsible for the invasion of Ukraine.
Additionally, a Special International Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression (Russian invasion of Ukraine) is being established.
Ukrainian authorities can transfer their ongoing investigations to the prosecutor of the special tribunal.
The Special International Tribunal is expected to start next year with The Hague as its base.
[ Foreign missions to Ukraine and incoming delegations from Ukraine]
But this is not only about justice, it also about solidarity, support and reconstruction.
Allow me to give you some examples.
These delegations include judges, prosecutors and investigators.
Here, they receive training and visit the institutions present.
The municipality of The Hague supports these visits.
This trip was part of an economic research mission organized by the Netherlands Ukraine Chamber of Commerce (NUCC).
The mission aimed to explore how the reconstruction of Ukraine can take shape.
Here, I participated in a congress on the sustainable reconstruction of local municipalities.
I also spoke with Mr. Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Community and Territorial Development.
Since 1996, VNG has worked closely with the Association of Ukrainian Cities, and our partnership has only grown stronger in response to the war.
Through VNG’s cooperation agency, VNG International, we try to support local governments where it matters most.
The focus is on recovery and resilience.
In regions like Kherson and Mykolaiv, municipalities are supported to create local recovery plans and rebuild essential service.
Like water supply, transport and waste management.
This work has been expanded the past year to 15 municipalities in eastern and southern Ukraine.
VNG International works together with them on local security, economic recovery, and democratic governance.
And this is done by engaging women, youth, war veterans, displaced people and local businesses.
But this is not just about Dutch support to Ukraine.
We also learn from our Ukrainian colleagues.
About how to lead in times of crisis.
About keeping basic services running under extraordinary pressure.
This is the essence of our partnership.
Standing together and learning from each other.
I wish you an inspiring and a very good stay in The Hague.
Please keep in mind that you can always count on our support.
