President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky speaks in a live video during the opening ceremony for the 75th annual Cannes Film Festival on May 17, 2022 in Cannes, France. Photo: Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a deal Friday to secure compensation for countries that "suffered from Russia's actions."
Why it matters: Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova told the U.S. Helsinki Commission earlier this month that Russia has committed nearly 10,000 war crimes over the course of the war. A compensation deal would show aggressors that they will be held accountable for their actions at the international level, Zelensky said.
What he's saying: "We invite the partner countries to sign a multilateral agreement and create a mechanism through which each and every one who has suffered from Russia's actions will be able to receive compensation for all losses," he said in a Telegram post.
- "Under such an agreement, Russian funds and property under the jurisdiction of partner countries must be seized or frozen, and then confiscated and directed to a specially created fund from which all victims of Russian aggression can receive appropriate compensation."
- "That would be fair," he said. "And Russia will feel the true weight of every missile, every bomb, every projectile it has fired at us."
The big picture: G7 countries have said they will provide nearly $20 billion in financial aid for Ukraine.
- Earlier this month, Lithuania became the first country to designate Russia as a terrorist country after recognizing its actions in Ukraine as genocide.
- A soldier accused of killing a civilian will be the first Russian service member to stand trial on war crimes charges since the start of the unprovoked war.
Axios' Jonathan Swan will interview Zelensky Monday, May 23 at 2pm ET. Join the livestream here.