Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the sixth annual International Crimean Platform Summit in New York on Wednesday, September 23. According to the Ukrainian President’s Office, this year’s Crimean Platform Summit was the largest in its six-year history, with over 60 country representatives in attendance, including 16 leaders from different continents. Panama and Trinidad and Tobago joined the Crimean Platform for the first time.
Zelensky stated during the summit, “When I see so many individuals gathered at the Crimean Platform, we believe even more that Russia will one day be held accountable for its crimes.”
He emphasized the need to restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity based on international law, including ensuring Crimea regains its freedom. Zelensky said, “Disregard for international law began in 2014 when Russia entered Crimea. Without Crimea, it is not possible to fully restore normalcy, ensure safety, protect people and lives, release the captives held by Russia, and return to the basic principles of international law.”
Zelensky stressed the importance of territorial integrity, national sovereignty, and human life, stating that Russia must acknowledge this fact. He also highlighted that restoring the effectiveness of international law in Ukraine means holding Russia accountable for its crimes during the occupation.
He pointed out that whether it is the people of Crimea, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, or Ukrainian citizens detained by Russia, they should believe that the aggressor state will be held accountable and punished for its crimes eventually.
Zelensky further emphasized that the continuous support of the international community for Ukraine is crucial in the effort to regain Crimea’s freedom.
Participants at the summit also discussed the situation on the peninsula, systematic violations of human rights by Russian forces, military buildup, and the impact of militarization on youth and education, focusing on collective measures to advance the de-occupation of Crimea.
In February to March 2014, Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula, which belonged to the territory of Ukraine. Ukraine and the vast majority of the international community (based on a United Nations General Assembly resolution) do not recognize Russia’s forcible annexation of the region and consider it as a “temporarily occupied territory.”
Following this, Ukraine officially proposed and initiated the International Coordination and Consultation Mechanism – the Crimean Platform. The inaugural Crimean Platform Summit was held on August 23, 2021, in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
During the summit, representatives from dozens of countries and international organizations attended and signed a joint declaration, officially launching the mechanism.