The Crimea Platform (Ukrainian: Кримська платформа, romanized: Krymska platforma; Crimean Tatar: Qırım Platforması) is a diplomatic summit initiated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in August 2021 and attended by delegations from 46 Western-aligned countries.[1][2] It is designed to be an international coordination mechanism to restore Russia–Ukraine relations by means of reversing the 2014 annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation. The protection of the human rights of Crimean Tatars, environmental degradation and the stifling of trade in the Black and Azov Sea region are also matters discussed at the summit.[3]
 Emblem of the Crimea Platform | |
| Founded | 23 August 2021 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | |
| Website | crimea-platform.org |
The inaugural summit of the platform took place on 23 August 2021, on the eve of the 30th anniversary of Ukrainian independence.[4]
Creation and promotion
editPlans for such an event were announced by the Ministry of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories,[5] and at the 75th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2020.[6] The first mention of the Crimea Platform initiative appeared in November 2020, when First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Japarova presented it to the ambassadors of EU member states and discussed the practical aspects of involving the European Union in its activities.[7] Subsequently, the Ukrainian authorities conducted a campaign to involve Western countries in the platform.[8][9][10][11] On 26 February 2021, President Zelenskyy signed a Decree "On Certain Measures Aimed at Deoccupation and Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol", which decided to establish the Organizing Committee for the preparation and holding of the Crimea Platform. The Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the Preparation of the Constituent Summit of the Crimea Platform is the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba.[12][13][14] It is expected that the Crimea Platform will be represented in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.[15]
Negotiation topics, formats
editForeign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has identified five expected priorities for the Crimea Platform negotiation platform:
Firstly, security, including freedom of navigation. Second, ensuring the effectiveness of sanctions against the aggressor state. Third, the protection of human rights and international humanitarian law. Fourth, protection of educational, cultural and religious rights. Fifth, overcoming the negative impact of the temporary occupation of Crimea on the economy and the environment [16]
Negotiations will be conducted in five key areas:
- the policy of non-recognition of the attempted annexation of Crimea by Russia,
- expansion and strengthening of international sanctions against Russia,
- international security,
- human rights,
- the impact of occupation on the economy and the environment.[17]
Special attention will be paid to the issue of Crimean political prisoners on the occupied peninsula.[18]
After the Summit, the activities of the Crimea Platform will not end. Four formats of its work are planned: presidential, foreign ministers, deputy and expert. The intergovernmental level will act in the form of consultations of foreign ministers, coordination meetings of specialized working groups on priority areas, conferences. In particular, it is possible to establish an annual forum dedicated to the security of the wider Black Sea region and beyond.[19]
The Crimea Platform inter-factional parliamentary association (Rustem Umierov, Mustafa Dzhemilev, Ahtem Chiygoz, Yelyzaveta Yasko, Vadym Halaichuk) has been established in the Ukrainian parliament, which is developing a package of bills concerning the temporarily annexed peninsula.[20][21]
In June, the expert network of the Crimea Platform was presented at the press centre of the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre. The event was attended by representatives of the Crimean Human Rights Group, Ukrainian Prism and Centre for Journalistic Investigations.[22] The founding forum of the Crimea Platform expert network with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, embassies, national and international experts took place on 6 August in Kyiv.[23]
The Crimea Platform is also expected to be represented in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.[24]
The platform intends to remain operational until the peninsula returns to Ukrainian control.[25]
Attendees
edit
Foreign leaders had been invited to the 30th anniversary celebrations as well as the summit, including the leaders of United States, Greece[26][27] and Lithuania. Turkey, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Moldova were the first to announce plans to send representatives to the summit.[28] Israel was also invited to the conference.[29]
As for Russia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs previously allowed participation in the Crimea Platform, setting the condition: "If it is planned to discuss the resumption of Crimean water supply and electricity supply, lifting Kyiv's trade and transport blockade of the peninsula".[30] Ukrainian side rejected such possibility.[31] Russia later called Kyiv's efforts to return Crimea "illegitimate", and the participation of any countries and organizations in the Ukrainian initiative a "direct encroachment on Russia's territorial integrity".[32]
Russia also tried to undermine the credibility of the platform and prevent other states from participating in it through blackmail and intimidation - for this reason the list of those invited to the summit had to be kept secret.[33][34]
Despite all the circumstances, representatives of 47 countries and organizations are expected at the summit on August 23.
The United States was represented by a member of the Cabinet. This was announced by the US Chargé d'Affaires in Ukraine, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs George Kent in an interview with Radio Liberty.[35]
After the summit, President Zelenskyy awarded the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise to eleven attending heads of state and government.[36]
List of attendees
edit
G7 Member states
edit
Canada - Speaker of the Senate George Furey
France - Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian
Germany - Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier
Italy - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Benedetto Della Vedova
Japan - ambassador Kurai Takashi
United Kingdom - Minister for Europe and America Wendy Morton
United States - Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm
Other attendees
edit
Albania - Foreign Minister Olta Xhaçka
Australia - ambassador Bruce Edwards
Austria - Foreign minister Alexander Schallenberg
Belgium - Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmès
Bulgaria - Foreign Minister Svetlan Stoev
Croatia - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković
Cyprus - ambassador Luis Telemachus
Czech Republic - President of the Senate of the Czech Republic Miloš Vystrčil
Denmark
Estonia - President Kersti Kaljulaid[41]
Finland - President Sauli Niinistö
Georgia - Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili[42][43]
Greece - ambassador Vasilios Bornovas
Hungary - President János Áder
Iceland - ambassador Eidun Atlason
Ireland - Foreign Minister Simon Coveney
Latvia - President Egils Levits[44]
Liechtenstein[45]
Lithuania - President Gitanas Nauseda[46]
Luxembourg - Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn
Malta - ambassador Godwin Montanaro
Moldova - President Maia Sandu[47][48]
Montenegro - Foreign minister Đorđe Radulović
Netherlands - Minister of Trade and Development Tom de Bruijn
New Zealand - ambassador Si'alei van Toor
North Macedonia - Foreign minister Bujar Osmani
Norway - State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Audun Halvorsen
Poland - President Andrzej Duda[49]
Portugal - Foreign Minister João Gomes Cravinho
Romania - Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu[50]- Romania - Prime Minister Florin Cîțu[50]
Slovakia - Prime Minister Eduard Heger
Slovenia - President Borut Pahor
Spain - Secretary for EU Affairs Juan González-Barba Pera
Sweden - Prime Minister Stefan Löfven[51]
Switzerland - President of the National Council Andreas Aebi
Turkey - Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu
Council of Europe - General Secretary Marija Pejčinović Burić
European Union (European Commission) - Vice president Valdis Dombrovskis- European Union (European Council) - President Charles Michel
- GUAM - General Secretary Altay Əfəndiyev
NATO - Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană
Offices of the Crimea Platform
edit
On the day of the summit, its participants opened the main office of the Crimean Platform, located in Kyiv, at Lypska street, 2. Among the tasks of the office, in particular, is round-the-clock monitoring of the situation in the occupied peninsula on human rights, economic and environmental situation, cultural heritage, etc., promoting the strategy of deoccupation and reintegration of Crimea, informing and communicating with Ukrainian citizens from Crimea with international partners. The head of the office is Anton Korynevych, the President's Permanent Representative to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.[52]
It is planned to open offices of the Crimean platform in some other countries that are signatories of the declaration.[53]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ President of Ukraine opened the inaugural summit of the Crimea Platform
- ^ "Crimea Platform: Ukraine's Initiative to Raise the Costs of Russia's Occupation". Jamestown. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- ^ "THE CRIMEAN PLATFORM WILL BECOME A FOREIGN POLICY INSTRUMENT OF THE DE-OCCUPATION STRATEGY | UA: Ukraine Analytica". UA: Ukraine Analytica. 16 March 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- ^ "Festivities dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence will last for 3 days - Volodymyr Zelenskyy". Official website of the President of Ukraine. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
- ^ "Резніков про міжнародний майданчик для переговорів щодо Криму: "Все в процесі"". Крим.Реалії. 16 May 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ "Президент Зеленський в ООН закликав взяти участь у створенні міжнародної платформи з деокупації Криму". Крим.Реалії. 23 September 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ "Еміне Джапарова презентувала послам країн-членів ЄС ініціативу "Кримська платформа" і обговорила практичні аспекти залучення Євросоюзу до її діяльності". МЗС України. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ "«Кримська платформа» в 2021 році стане епіцентром гібридної війни України та Росії – Кулеба". Крим.Реалії. 24 December 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ "Україна представила ЄС концепцію Кримської платформи". Слово і Діло. 14 December 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ "Джапарова презентувала Кримську платформу в ОБСЄ". Укрінформ. 1 March 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ "Кримська платформа: Джапарова запросила на саміт держави-члени ЮНЕСКО". Укрінформ. 31 March 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
- ^ "Зеленський створив оргкомітет Саміту Кримської платформи". УП. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ "Президент створив Організаційний комітет з підготовки установчого Саміту Кримської платформи". Президент України. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ Указ Президента України від 26 лютого 2021 року № 78/2021 «Про окремі заходи, спрямовані на деокупацію та реінтеграцію тимчасово окупованої території Автономної Республіки Крим та міста Севастополя»
- ^ "Мезенцева: "Кримська платформа працюватиме на базі ПАРЄ"". LB.ua. 11 February 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- ^ "Кулеба назвав п'ять пріоритетів роботи "Кримської платформи"". 3 December 2020.
- ^ "У МЗС оголосили напрямки роботи Кримської платформи". Слово і Діло. 4 March 2021.
- ^ ""Кримська платформа" розгляне питання політв'язнів на окупованому півострові – МЗС". Прямий.
- ^ "Виступ першої заступниці міністра Еміне Джапарової на Всеукраїнському форумі "Україна 30. Міжнародна політика"". Міністерство закордонних справ України.
- ^ "У Раді створили міжфракційне об'єднання "Кримська платформа"". Укрінформ. 3 December 2020.
- ^ "У Раді розробляють пакет законопроектів "Кримська платформа"". Інтерфакс-Україна. 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Презентували експертну мережу Кримської платформи". Український кризовий медіа-центр.
- ^ "У Києві стартував установчий форум експертної мережі "Кримської платформи" (трансляцію завершено)". Крим.Реалії.
- ^ "Мезенцева: "Кримська платформа працюватиме на базі ПАРЄ"". LB.ua.
- ^ ""Кримська платформа" завершить свою роботу тоді, коли на півострів повернеться прапор України – Кориневич". Крим.Реалії.
- ^ "Зеленский пригласил президента Греции на 30-летие независимости Украины - Последние новости сегодня". pressorg24.com. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^ "Зеленский пригласил президента Греции на празднование 30-летия независимости Украины". Интерфакс-Украина (in Russian). Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^ ""Кримська платформа". "Маячня" чи реальний крок для деокупації Криму?". Радіо Свобода.
- ^ "Zelensky invites Israel to join Crimea Platform summit declaration". 25 August 2021.
- ^ "МЗС Росії назвало умову, за якої російська сторона візьме участь у Кримській платформі". Суспільне Крим.
- ^ "Кулеба запросив Росію взяти участь в саміті Кримської платформи: "На порядку денному буде тільки одне питання"". zn.ua.
- ^ "Росія назвала "Кримську платформу" нелегітимною і пригрозила учасникам". УП.
- ^ "Окупанти пообіцяли "болючі наслідки" через "Кримську платформу"". Ракурс.
- ^ "Чому учасників "Кримської платформи" тримають в секреті, пояснила Джапарова". kanaldom.tv.
- ^ "Встреча Байдена и Зеленского, Крым и Донбасс: интервью Джорджа Кента". Крым.Реалии (in Russian). 26 July 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
- ^ "The President presented state awards to the participants of the Crimea Platform summit".
- ^ "44 держави та організації: Кулеба назвав повний склад саміту "Кримської платформи"". УП.
- ^ "Ще одна країна НАТО підтвердила участь у саміті Кримської платформи". УП.
- ^ "Делегацію США на Кримській платформі очолить міністерка енергетики". УП.
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- ^ "Три украинских дня Кальюлайд: встреча с Зеленским, "Крымская платформа" и военный парад". 22 August 2021.
- ^ "PM Garibashvili Addresses Crimea Platform Summit". Civil.ge. 23 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ^ "Ukrainian president awards Georgian PM with order of merit". Agenda.ge. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ^ "President of Ukraine held talks with the President of Latvia after the Crimea Platform Summit".
- ^ "Ще одна держава приєдналась до Кримської платформи". pravda.com.ua. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
- ^ "Зеленский пригласил президента Литвы на 30-летие независимости Украины - Последние новости сегодня". pressorg24.com. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^ "Зеленский пригласил Санду на празднование 30-летия Независимости Украины". www.ukrinform.ru. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Зеленский пригласил Санду на 30-летие независимости Украины". Интерфакс-Украина (in Russian). Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^ "Oficjalna strona Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej / Aktualności / Wizyty zagraniczne / Kijów | Spotkanie Prezydentów Polski i Ukrainy". www.prezydent.pl. 23 August 2021. Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ^ a b Florea, Daniel (23 August 2021). Constantin, Anamaria (ed.). "Premier Citu pays visit to Ukraine, to attend Crimean International Platform's launch summit". Agerpres. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the Prime Minister of Sweden".
- ^ "Президент України та учасники саміту Кримської платформи оглянули головний офіс ініціативи в Києві". Президент України. 23 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- ^ "Офіси Кримської платформи відкриють в інших країнах - Президент". Укрінформ. 22 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
External links
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