Tomorrow, 24 February, marks four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Strikes on homes, schools, hospitals, and energy infrastructure continue unabated, leaving people without electricity and heat in the harshest winter of the war.

As the war enters its fifth year, 2026 must be the year peace returns to Ukraine. But peace cannot be a pause in violence. It must be just, lasting, and secured by binding guarantees and full accountability for aggression. A sustainable peace will be built by Ukraine, with Europe, and grounded in law.

Accountability is not an abstract principle. It is the foundation of Ukraine’s recovery — and of a durable peace.

As I highlighted last week in Kyiv, “we can help ensure that the crimes do not disappear. That what was done to Ukraine is not erased. That peace, when it comes, is not built on impunity.”

Our Register of Damage has already recorded more than 110,000 claims — only a fraction of the destruction inflicted on the Ukrainian people. Today, the Register is opening a new category of claims: Ukrainian refugees who were forced to move abroad will now be able to submit compensation claims for damages suffered.

Last December, we opened for signature the Convention establishing an International Claims Commission. Thirty-five states and the European Union signed on day one, an unprecedented show of unity. This sends a clear message: without compensation and redress, there can be no genuine recovery.

At the same time, a Council of Europe advance team is working towards the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression. As I conveyed to President Zelensky in Kyiv, the next step now requires the highest-level political commitment from states. Accountability must move from principle to concrete reality.

The Council of Europe is not standing by. We are delivering the most ambitious Action Plan in our history — a strategic instrument that accompanies Ukraine on its reform path toward European Union membership and anchors recovery firmly in democratic standards, the rule of law and human rights. This Action Plan is not technical assistance; it is a cornerstone of Ukraine’s reconstruction and of Europe’s long-term security architecture.

Every entity of the Council of Europe is mobilised.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe keeps accountability, justice and democratic resilience high on national parliamentary agendas. The Ukrainian delegation’s advocacy has secured nearly 30 resolutions and recommendations in support of Ukraine, and PACE cooperation activities assist the Verkhovna Rada in strengthening the institutional framework essential for a resilient democracy, even in times of crisis.

Local and regional leaders have been on the front lines since the first day of aggression. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has mobilised mayors and regional leaders across Europe, supporting democratic governance, recovery planning and trust-building at the local level — where reconstruction begins — while continuing to assist Ukrainian authorities with decentralisation reform and preparations for the transition from military to civilian administration.

The commissioner for human rights has worked on the ground to assess the human rights impact of the war and to ensure that human rights remain central to peace and recovery efforts, including through a Memorandum on human rights elements for peace in Ukraine, and supports the essential work of the Ukrainian Parliament commissioner for human rights.

The European Court of Human Rights remains the only international court adjudicating violations of human rights arising from this war. In a landmark judgment last July, it held Russia accountable for widespread violations in Ukraine since 2014. The Court also made clear that Russia is responsible for the unlawful transfer and adoption of Ukrainian children and must cooperate in their safe return. We will use every legal mechanism available to ensure that these children are brought home.

Four years of war have tested Ukraine’s resilience, but they have not broken it. Ukrainian soldiers and veterans have made immense sacrifices. Recovery must therefore include reintegration, independent justice, anti-corruption safeguards, inclusive policies and community-based support so that every Ukrainian can participate in rebuilding the country.  We are contributing to the promotion of equal rights for women and girls, including in times of conflict. Through our cooperation programmes, we are embedding these principles into Ukraine’s institutions and its future.

Peace will not be secured by declarations alone. It will be secured by law, institutions and sustained political commitment. The Council of Europe is shaping the legal and institutional foundations on which Ukraine’s peace and recovery will stand, from accountability mechanisms to democratic reform, from human rights protection to anti-corruption standards.

Ukraine’s future is European. Ukraine is a longstanding member of the Council of Europe, and its reconstruction, justice and democratic resilience are a shared European responsibility. We will remain fully engaged, not only until the war ends, but until justice is delivered and a just and lasting peace is firmly secured.