Panel Discussion: Establishing Accountability for Russia’s Actions in Ukraine
Copenhagen, Denmark – April 9, 2025 – As the world watches negotiations, ceasefires, and peace talks unfold, the reality on the ground in Ukraine remains stark. More than 180,000 documented war crimes, the forced deportation of at least 19,546 Ukrainian children, and relentless attacks on Ukrainian cities, homes, and infrastructure raise an urgent question: Can there be a just peace without full accountability?

On April 9, the Ukraine House in Denmark will host a crucial panel discussion titled "Establishing Accountability for Russia’s Actions in Ukraine." The event will bring together leading experts to explore how international mechanisms can ensure justice, what role Ukraine’s partners play, and whether accountability is achievable in the face of ongoing aggression.
Distinguished speakers:
- Jonas Parello-Plesner, Executive Director of the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, brings extensive expertise in international relations, democracy promotion, and foreign policy. He has held key positions at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Council on Foreign Relations, and the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C., focusing on human rights, sanctions, and legal strategies to hold aggressors accountable. A respected voice in global policy circles, Parello-Plesner will contribute on how democratic nations can support Ukraine and enforce accountability for Russia’s war crimes.
- Yulia Kyrpa, a prominent Ukrainian lawyer and board member - representative of Ukraine in the Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U), leads Ukraine in international efforts to document and assess the destruction caused by Russian aggression. She has advised the European Commission, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), KfW, and USAID on financial and legal frameworks to aid Ukraine’s economy. With a strong legal background and experience in high-profile international litigation, Kyrpa will share her perspective on how to ensure that Russia is held accountable through legal mechanisms.
Date: April 9, 2025
Time: 17:00
Location: Ukraine House in Denmark, Strandgade 27B, Copenhagen
Free entry – registration required: https://bit.ly/3Dyk7SX
With ongoing discussions about peace, sanctions, and legal consequences, this panel will shed light on the practical challenges and potential pathways to accountability. How can international institutions, courts, and governments work together to ensure that justice is served? What legal precedents exist, and what new mechanisms are needed to prosecute war crimes at this scale?
Join us for this essential conversation with leading experts as we examine the future of justice for Ukraine and the global implications of holding oppressors accountable.
This discussion is organized in cooperation with the Alliance of Democracies Foundation.
Keywords
Links
About Ukraine House
The Ukraine House in Denmark is a civil society organisation of Ukrainian cultural diplomacy based in Copenhagen. Its mission is to form an enduring positive influence of Ukraine on Ukrainian-Danish cooperation, security, and lasting peace in Europe.
Subscribe to releases from Ukraine House in Denmark
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Ukraine House in Denmark by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Ukraine House in Denmark
Democracy stands because the Ukrainian infantry stands: Ukraine House at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit20.5.2025 12:42:36 CEST | Press release
Since 2022, the Copenhagen Democracy Summit has become a vital platform for Ukraine House in Denmark to bring Ukraine’s voice to those shaping global politics and policies. At the entrance of CDS 2025, Ukraine House in Denmark, in partnership with the Embassy of Ukraine, presented a modest but powerful installation by the Ukrainian Infantry: “Democracy stands because the Ukrainian infantry stands.” It featured combat-worn boots from the frontline—not parade boots like those seen on Red Square, but real, battered ones, marked by mud and fire. The boots are silent witnesses to sacrifice, and a reminder that freedom never defends itself. Someone always does.
“... when you have a real tragedy in front of your eyes, ... you cannot invent a more tragic story than life can produce. I couldn’t write fiction for two and a half years.” Ukraine House hosts conversation with Andrei Kurkov19.5.2025 15:20:49 CEST | Press release
On May 2, Ukraine House in Denmark hosted a literary evening with Andrei Kurkov, one of Ukraine's most prolific and internationally recognized authors. The writer shared his personal reflections on becoming an author under the Soviet regime and the impact of war on national identity and contemporary literature.
Ukraine House in Denmark Hosts Chornobyl Legacy Discussion with Professor Serhii Plokhy7.5.2025 08:00:00 CEST | Press release
On Sunday, April 27, Ukraine House in Denmark had the honour of hosting a discussion dedicated to the legacy and present-day relevance of the Chornobyl disaster. We were privileged to welcome Professor Serhii Plokhii, Director of the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University and a globally recognized authority on nuclear catastrophes. Professor Plokhii, who joined us at the opening of Ukraine House, opened by reminding us that “authoritarian regimes are there to create disasters—small disasters and big disasters—and Chornobyl is about a big disaster that can destroy life on Earth.” He went on to draw a chilling parallel between 1986 and 2022: “The most disturbing part of that new Chornobyl crisis that emerged in 2022 was that it was caused by the very same phenomenon—the authoritarian regime that has complete disregard for norms of international law, for human life, for environmental concerns.”
II Forum “Decolonizing Mindsets for Security in Europe” Calls for Urgent Cultural Reframing to Strengthen Democracy2.5.2025 08:00:00 CEST | Press release
On April 25, Ukraine House in Denmark hosted the second edition of the Forum “Decolonizing Mindsets for Security in Europe,” convening leading cultural and political thinkers to examine how colonial legacies shape memory, policy, and Europe’s security landscape. “At a time when cultural policy, memory, and history shape the global struggle for freedom and democracy, it's vital to reflect critically on the narratives that define how we see the US, Europe, Ukraine, and Russia. For Ukrainians, decolonisation means uncovering layers of russification and reclaiming our history, culture, and decision-making free from Russian-centric optics. But Ukraine’s security also depends on the willingness of democratic allies to emancipate themselves from cultural superpower biases—to recognise Ukrainian contributions to world heritage and engage with Ukraine as an equal partner in defending dignity and democracy. That’s why we will continue to foster dialogue around decolonizing mindsets—because only
Making Russia Pay – International Accountability Pathways to Justice discussed at Ukraine House Panel16.4.2025 08:01:53 CEST | Press release
As Russia’s war enters its third year, the question isn’t whether Ukraine will endure—but whether justice will. On April 9, Ukraine House in Denmark, in partnership with the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, convened a public discussion, “Establishing Accountability for Russia’s Actions in Ukraine”, with a sharp focus: how the world can make Russia pay—literally and legally—for its aggression. Featuring Jonas Parello-Plesner, Executive Director of the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, and Julia Kyrpa, Board Member of the Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U), the conversation illuminated a fast-moving and historic effort: building an international compensation system without Russia’s consent.
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom