Council of Europe summit to begin in Reykjavik – Photo: Council of Europe

The Leaders Summit of the Council of Europe begins in Reykjavik, Iceland, today.

During the two-day summit, heads of state and government from across the Council’s member states will meet in Iceland, which currently holds the Council’s Presidency. The summit will focus on the ongoing war in Ukraine and the question of how to ensure accountability for crimes committed by Russian troops.

The Council of Europe was established in the aftermath of World War II to foster European cooperation and peace. Its main goals are the strengthening and upholding of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. All European states, except for Russia, Belarus and Kosovo are members, while the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Japan are observers. Russia was expelled last year following its invasion of Ukraine. This year’s leaders summit will attempt to tackle human rights violations committed in the war in Ukraine, including through setting up a registry of recorded damages and considering ways to redress them in the future.

This summit will likely not alleviate the current hostilities, but could help create a foundation for post-war restitution. Apart from this, the Council is also expected to address modern challenges to human rights and democracy, including through artificial intelligence and environmental degradation, by proposing multilateral frameworks for regulation and cooperation.