About the Dialogue group
Who we are
At the Ministerial Ukraine Accountability Conference held in The Hague on 14 July 2022, within the framework of the ‘Restoring Justice for Ukraine’ conference, forty-five participating countries recognized the need to facilitate dialogue and collaboration across the wide range of initiatives aimed at enhancing accountability for international crimes committed in Ukraine. In the political declaration following the conference, participating countries acknowledged the need to facilitate dialogue and collaborate across the wide range of initiatives aimed at enhancing the capacity of national actors to investigate and prosecute international and war crimes. As a follow-up to this conference, a Dialogue Group on Accountability for Ukraine (‘the Dialogue Group’) was established at the ‘United for Justice’ conference in Lviv on 3 March 2023.
On 2 April 2024 a ‘Restoring Justice for Ukraine’ conference was organised by the Netherlands, Ukraine and the EU. Within that framework the first Ministerial Dialogue Group was held.
Whereas, on 19 September 2024 a virtual conference on Restoring Justice was held, dedicated to implementing the seventh point of the President’s Zelenskyy Peace Formula “Restorating Justice”. In alignment with the ongoing efforts to unite stakeholders in pursuit of justice for Ukraine, since the first annual Ministerial Dialogue Group meeting, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine has organized a series of ‘United for Justice’ conferences systematically addressing key thematic areas on the accountability agenda. These initiatives aim to expand justice efforts, focusing, for instance, on issues such as accountability for attacks on civilian infrastructure, the Bucha massacre, the deliberate shelling of cultural heritage and educational institutions, as well as targeting and destruction of sensitive environmental sites.
The United for Justice conference on 7 May 2025 was combined with the second Ministerial Dialogue Group.
The “Dialogue Group” is a unique platform, bringing together key stakeholders from diverse backgrounds – national authorities, international and civil society organizations among the others – involved in pursuing accountability efforts for crimes committed in the context of the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
The Group was established to foster dialogue among various national, European, and international accountability and documentation initiatives relevant to Ukraine. It aims to identify opportunities for enhanced synergy and coherence in these efforts, where appropriate.
The Group is made up of four thematic workstreams: 1) Assistance to Ukraine, 2) Action by Regional and International Institutions, 3) National Investigations, 4) Civil Society support for accountability. Since the launch of the Dialogue Group, the four workstreams, co-chaired by Ukraine institutions together with the European Union (EU), International Criminal Court (ICC), Eurojust and the Netherlands, have met regularly to discuss actions and initiatives undertaken by the participants.
Core objectives
Strengthening International Coordination
Facilitating structured discussions between governments, international organizations, and legal experts in order to enhance synergies and complementarity between the various initiatives in support of Ukrainian capacity for accountability for international crimes.
Providing Transparency & Knowledge Sharing
Informing States and other stakeholders about the mandate and approach of the Dialogue Group, by making information publicly available on a website for the Dialogue Group. For internal dissemination of information within the framework of the workstreams and when agreed across workstreams: enhanced information sharing and deepening of knowledge resulting from its meetings, by drafting reports, conducting one-pagers on thematic topics, mapping of initiatives supporting the Ukrainian investigation, prosecution and sentencing of international crimes, and sharing other relevant information (after clearance by workstream co-chairs or coordination group).
Enhancing Justice Efforts
Promoting best practices for documentation, evidence collection, and legal proceedings.
Supporting National and Civil Society Initiatives
Providing a platform for collaboration between investigative bodies, prosecution authorities, and civil society organizations.