Dr. Ivan Horodyskyy on Reparations, Frozen Assets, and Ukraine’s Path to Recovery

Our second guest in our Series on Prospects for Peace in Ukraine is Dr. Ivan Horodyskyy, Vice-President of the Ukrainian Bar Association and Director and Cofounder of the Dnistrianskyi Centre for Law and Politics, where he manages projects related to compensation for Ukrainians for damages caused by Russian aggression. 

Since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion, Ukraine and its allies have called for Russia to bear responsibility for its illegal acts, including making reparation, to widespread international support. In this episode, we discuss the question of reparations for Russia’s extensive war damage in Ukraine, as well as the closely related issues of frozen Russian assets and postwar reconstruction.

Significant challenges lie ahead in negotiating reparations for Ukraine: what might a compensation mechanism look like, how should reparations be funded, what role should Russia’s frozen assets play, and how can Russia be made to pay? With Ivan, we explore these questions and more and consider the challenges and strategies for the future negotiation of reparations for Ukraine. -------------------------- Ukraine and its allies stand at a critical juncture as they pursue a just and lasting peace and an end to Russia’s war of aggression. The road ahead is fraught with difficult issues that will arise during a future peace process, from territorial integrity and post-war security frameworks to EU accession and justice and accountability.

In this special mini-series, Prospects for Peace In Ukraine, we sit down with Ukrainian and international experts in law, diplomacy, and peace negotiations to explore some of these key issues. Together, we examine the strategies, options, and opportunities ahead as Ukraine and its allies navigate the peace process against a shifting international landscape.