On 23 August 2023, the Third Summit of the Crimean International Platform took place in Kyiv. The event was opened by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanchuk, Prime-Minister Denys Shmyhal and the Minister of the Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, also addressed the Summit.
In his speech, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the main task of the Crimean Platform is to prepare for the de-occupation of Crimea and that Ukraine has a clear path to restoring the territorial integrity and post-war transformation of the peninsula.
"The Black Sea is the key to world food and therefore to social stability. Crimea is the key to Black Sea security. We cannot and will not leave the keys in the hands of terrorists. Ukraine has a clear vision of how normal, peaceful, fair and democratic life will be restored in Crimea after we dismantle Russian tyranny on our Ukrainian peninsula," emphasised the President of Ukraine.
The Foreign Minister, Mr. Dmytro Kuleba, said that Ukraine would not allow Russia to sweep the Crimean issue under the carpet and force the world to accept the temporary occupation as the de facto status quo.
Dmytro Kuleba: "The large-scale Russian invasion has not weakened, but rather strengthened, the Platform and our common determination to return Crimea to Ukraine. The number of participants and the geography of support continue to expand. The Platform now covers Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. No matter how much time passes, the crime of occupation will be punished. Respect for the UN Charter must be restored and Crimea must be returned to Ukraine."
"For me and hundreds of thousands of Crimean citizens, Crimea is my home. Just like the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, it is home to millions of Ukrainians who have been forced by Russia to leave their homeland. Therefore, the Crimean Platform concerns not only the peninsula itself, but also our other temporarily occupied territories and peoples. Our mission is very noble - to return home to those who were taken from it," said First Deputy Foreign Minister, Mrs. Emine Dzheppar.
Representatives of foreign countries and international organisations reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and renewed their assurances of continued support for Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invaders.
The participants also expressed their support for the President's Peace Formula.
The event was attended by the Presidents of Lithuania, Portugal and Hungary, the President and member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Prime Ministers of Moldova and Finland, the Minister of Defence of the Netherlands and the Chief Advisor to the President of Turkey, the Secretary General of GUAM and the Director General of the Danube Commission Secretariat. Other participants took part online or via video link.
For the first time, the Summit was attended by representatives from Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia, East Timor, the World Tourism Organisation, UNESCO and the Danube Commission.
Following the summit, an outcome document was published.
For reference: The Crimean Platform is an international consultation and coordination format initiated by Ukraine to improve the effectiveness of the international response to the current occupation of Crimea, increase international pressure on Russia and achieve the main goal of liberation of the peninsula and fully restoring Ukraine's sovereignty over Crimea.
This year's Summit was held in a hybrid format.
The Summit took place in three panels: "Strengthening security in the Black Sea and Baltic region", "Economic development and post-war recovery" and "Humanitarian situation and protection of human rights". In addition, a separate event for businesses was held on the sidelines of the Summit, entitled "Economic Recovery and Reconstruction in Crimea".