International leaders reaffirm support for Ukraine at Crimea Platform summit

“Lithuania will never recognize the illegal occupation of Ukrainian territories. For us, this is a matter of international law,” Gitanas Nausda, President of the Republic of Lithuania

In his speech at the fourth summit of the Crimean International Platform, President of the Republic of Lithuania Gitanas Nausda said that Lithuania is proud to be a member of the Crimean International Platform and is ready to continue supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

“In the first half of the 20th century, the map of Europe was forcibly rewritten by totalitarian regimes. We cannot and must not allow the Kremlin to do the same in the 21st century, we cannot live in a world where law is determined by force.”Gitanas Nausda, President of the Republic of Lithuania.

The speaker stressed that Russia's colonial policy in Crimea involves severe restrictions on the rights of local residents, including the indigenous people of Ukraine, the Crimean Tatars. Lithuania calls on Russia to immediately release all captive Ukrainian citizens and leave the temporarily occupied territories, Nausda said.

“The suffering of the Crimean Tatars, forcibly expelled from their homeland, has not subsided for 80 years and their wounds have not yet healed. The suffering was aggravated by the temporary occupation of Crimea, which Turkey opposed from the very beginning,” Recep Tayyip Erdoan, President of the Republic of Türkiye.

President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoan is convinced that ensuring the security and well-being of the Crimean Tatars, the indigenous people of Ukraine, remains a top priority of the foreign policy of the Republic of Turkey.

“We sincerely wish that the war ends with a just and lasting peace based on the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine,” The President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoan, said:

He stressed the right of the Crimean Tatars to live a free, safe and peaceful life in their homeland. In this regard, he recalled the release in June of the Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, Nariman Dzhelyal, after almost three years of detention, and expressed hope for the speedy release of all those illegally detained, including the brothers Asan and Aziz Akhtemov.

“I would like to emphasize one important principle and fact: Crimea belongs to Ukraine, not to Russia, and this is a powerful political message spread by the Crimea Platform.” Andrej Plenkovi, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia Andrej Plenkovi stressed that the creation of the Crimean Platform three years ago played an important role in updating the issue of temporarily occupied Crimea.

“The international community must not forget that the occupation began more than ten years ago and the 2022 invasion did not mark the beginning of Russian aggression. Human rights violations by Russia in occupied Crimea are increasing; we are witnessing murders, torture, deportations, abductions and violations of international and humanitarian law. We condemn the persecution of Ukrainian identity and the persecution of Crimean Tatars in temporarily occupied Crimea. All prisoners must be released and all those responsible for these crimes must be punished, including the crimes of compulsory passports and holding the recent illegal “elections”, said Andrej Plenkovi, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia.

He also reminded us that Russia has turned the temporarily occupied Crimea into a militarized territory and is using it as a bridgehead for aggression and as a control point of the Black Sea.

“Ukraine uses its legitimate right of self-defense to protect its sovereignty and citizens in accordance with international law. And this right also applies to the temporarily occupied Crimea,” said Andrej Plenkovi, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia.

“Albania’s position remains unwavering: we will continue to defend our principles and values, as well as the inviolability of borders, universal human rights, international law and the UN Charter. We firmly believe that the attempt at illegal annexation cannot succeed. Such actions are null and void and will never be considered legitimate under international law.,“ Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said.

The Albanian Prime Minister stressed the risks to freedom and democracy worldwide if justice is not restored.

“The determination and courage of the Ukrainian people and the struggle of the Ukrainian Armed Forces inspire us all. By defending your country from an unprovoked attack, you contribute to the security of the entire European continent. You are on the front lines, you see first-hand the importance of freedom, the importance of democracy and the risks we all face if we fail in your struggle.”Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

He also stressed that Albania's position remains and will remain firm on the issue of opposing the illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.