Three months into his tenure as Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, a former Swiss minister, has made the war in Ukraine and the crisis in Georgia central to his agenda.
Since assuming office, Berset has visited Ukraine three times in less than a year.
“I have experienced air raid alerts multiple times, both during the day and at night,” Berset said in an interview with Blick newspaper on Saturday. “The entire country is engaged in a war against Russia, a nuclear power. There are no safe zones in Ukraine right now,” he emphasized.
War’s reach and impact
Swiss politicians have debated whether special protection under "status S" should apply exclusively to Ukrainians from war-affected regions. Meanwhile, the approximately 100 staff members at the Council of Europe's Kyiv office face the daily realities of the conflict.
“All war crimes committed in Ukraine must be addressed,” Berset asserted. To support this effort, the Council of Europe has established a damage register, which now includes over 13,000 entries. This record is intended to form the basis for future reparations. However, Berset acknowledged that financing remains unresolved. Although Europe holds many frozen Russian assets, he foresees challenging discussions ahead regarding their potential use.
Accountability and support for Ukraine
Berset began his role as Secretary General on September 18 and has consistently underscored the Council’s commitment to human rights, democracy, and European solidarity. In his inaugural address to the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg, he emphasized accountability for Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
“Russia must answer for its crimes in Ukraine,” Berset stated. He also reaffirmed Europe’s commitment to supporting Ukraine in safeguarding its freedom and independence and aiding in its eventual reconstruction.
Russia was expelled from the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. This exclusion highlights the international community's firm stance against aggression and commitment to upholding democratic values. Photo by Swiss federal chancellry / Annette Boutellier & Yoshiko Kusano, Wikimedia commons.