On March 30, 2023, Kateryna Hrebeniuk, the lawyer of Greco Law Company participated in the Conference “UKRAINE: WHERE ARE WE NOW? Legal consequences one year after russia’s full-scale attack on Ukraine”, which took place in Warsaw. The event was organized by the International Section of the New York State Bar Association and USAID (a leading international development agency).
The Conference “UKRAINE: WHERE ARE WE NOW? Legal consequences one year after russia’s full-scale attack on Ukraine” is an opportunity to participate in discussions with experts on the warfare in Ukraine and demonstrate your support for the people of Ukraine. It is important to note that this Conference is a platform for practical discussions of the legal mechanisms to be exploited to hold russia accountable for the war crimes it committed in Ukraine, as well as for developing the ways of restoring Ukraine.
The focus of discussions lied in the following:
– Prosecution of crimes against Ukraine as a driver for the evolution of international criminal law. This question aims to analyse how the aggression against Ukraine affected international criminal and humanitarian law, and the activities of international judicial institutions.
– The world of sanctions: how has the international community adapted? How have the private and public sectors adapted to trade restrictions and what key issues should be addressed, what to expect from the sanctions policy in the future?
– Compensation for damages caused by the russian invasion. What legal mechanisms are potentially available to individuals and businesses to receive the compensation for damages, including the establishment of an international compensation mechanism(s), the role of investor-state litigation and arbitration in international investment treaties, and what are the practical prospects for private claimants?
– Investments in the region: current realities and prospects. The war significantly affected the investment climate in the region, deteriorating the flow of regular transactions to almost zero, while it gave rise to a new type of investment caused by the destruction of critical infrastructure, increased demand for military munitions, and business attempts to diversify their risks.
– Post-war investments and economic development will depend on many factors; the speakers discussed two important issues: the role of international financial aid and strengthening the rule of law in Ukraine.
The lawyer Kateryna Hrebeniuk notes about this event the following: “Such events are important for Ukraine. The international community and Ukrainian experts discussed important issues related to the restoration of our country. Speakers from the USA and Europe repeatedly drew attention to the resilience of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. Thanks to the energetic Ukrainian legal front, the restoration of Ukraine and the establishment of justice is only a matter of time. The report of Inna Khomych (Director of Legal Affairs at “Nova Poshta” group of companies) was especially remarkable. She noted that every day, every citizen of Ukraine and every company stand side by side with our defenders and jointly strive for victory. Also, it is worth noting that the speakers separately focused on the issues of business development and investments. In particular, Olha Yeriomina (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) noted that the European banking system is ready to invest in Ukrainian business and aims to support the recovery of Ukraine. As for the possibility of compensation for damages incurred as a result of russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, all speakers came to the conclusion that a necessary condition for this would be the implementation of a global international mechanism allowing the use of sanctioned russian assets to pay for damages. To achieve this goal, first of all, legislative changes are needed in the countries where these assets are located. As in the case of Canada and some other countries, it is necessary to establish a relevant commission that would regulate the process of such compensation, as well as to create a register of incurred losses.
More information about the event at https://bit.ly/3YqFfzx
