Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge and the Secretary General's Special Envoy on the situation of Children of Ukraine, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjord Gylfadóttir represented the Council of Europe at the 12th edition of the Warsaw Security Forum in Poland (29-30 September 2025). Opened by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the Forum brought together some 2,500 delegates from 90 countries at a decisive moment for the future of European and global security.
Heads of state and government, ministers, military commanders, policymakers, experts, industry representatives and innovators discussed how to coordinate strategies and build of political will.
During a high-level discussion "From Evidence to Accountability" with the participation of the Chairwoman of the Centre for Civil Liberties and 2022 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk, and the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Kajsa Ollongren, the Deputy Secretary General Berge said that Council of Europe had stepped up measures in ensuring justice for Ukraine through the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, the Register of Damage and the future Claims Commission. In addition, in June this year, Ukraine and the Council of Europe signed an agreement on establishing a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
The Special Envoy participated in the session "Europe's Moment of Truth: Ukraine and the Consequences of Hesitation" where she emphasised the need to intensify efforts at all levels to ensure the effective protection of the rights of children of Ukraine. "Let's not forget that justice is a prerequisite for lasting security. There will be no justice unless the plight of the Ukrainian people, including children, is effectively addressed. The Register of Damage's new claims category on the forcible transfer or deportation of children is a step forward. I will continue to do everything to strengthen the protection of Ukrainian children - in co-operation with our international partners."
Together they participated in a high-level discussion on "Coordinating western strategy on Russia's war of aggression", introduced by the host and moderator, Prof. Katarzyna Pisarska, Chair of the Warsaw Security Forum with the Minister of Finance of Norway and former Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg and United States Special Presidential Envoy for Ukraine, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Keith Kellogg.
