Estonian parlt speaker: Russia must compensate Ukraine for war damages

TALLINN - President of the Estonian parliament Lauri Hussar underscored at the second parliamentary summit of the international Crimea Platform that Russia must compensate for the damage caused in Ukraine, and countries must actively seek ways to use Russia's frozen assets for this purpose

In his speech, Hussar affirmed that Estonia will continue to strongly support Ukraine militarily, economically, and politically until Ukraine has won the war initiated by Russia, restored its territorial integrity, and become a member of the European Union and NATO.

"To achieve this, Ukraine needs the rapid delivery of the promised equipment to the battlefield. In addition to weapons and ammunition, Estonia, together with Luxembourg, supports the development of the ICT infrastructure of the Ukrainian armed forces," he said.

Hussar called on countries to support the peace formula of the president of Ukraine, which he said should be the basis for further efforts. He emphasized that there can be no lasting peace if the aggressor wins.

The speaker of the Riigikogu stated that the priority should be to establish an international tribunal to hold accountable all those responsible for Russia's aggression.

"Russia must be held accountable for all crimes committed in Ukraine, including the crime of aggression. No one should be allowed to hide behind immunity," he said.

Hussar also emphasized that Russia must compensate for the damage caused in Ukraine. He said that a bill is being handled by the Riigikogu, which provides domestic rules for using the frozen assets of sanctioned persons in Estonia to compensate for the war damages caused to Ukraine. 

"Opportunities to use frozen assets must be sought both at the level of the European Union and in each country separately," he said, emphasizing the importance of strengthening sanctions imposed on Russia and limiting Russia's international activities.

The parliamentary summit taking place in Prague discusses the situation in Crimea, focusing on sanctions, ensuring freedom of navigation, the human rights situation, and the economic and environmental impacts of Russia's temporary occupation. Representatives of parliaments will also discuss supporting Ukraine and increasing international pressure on Russia more broadly, with the goal of restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity. At the end of the meeting, participants will adopt a joint statement.

During the second parliamentary summit, Hussar is also scheduled to have a separate meeting with Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament Igor Grosu.