Kyiv, 23 August 2021 (TDI): The first Crimean Platform Summit started in Kyiv. Ukraine has called for this international summit to increase pressure on Russia over Crimea’s annexation. Delegates from 45 countries are attending the summit.
Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, gave an inauguration speech at the summit. There were also speeches by Denys Shmyhal (Ukrainian Prime Minister), Dmytro Razumkov (Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine), Andrzej Duda (Polish President), Charles Michel (President of the European Council), Maia Sandu (Moldovan President), Peter Altmaier (German Minister of Economy and Energy), Franck Riester (Minister for Trade and Economic Attractiveness of France), Mevlut Cavusoglu (Turkish Foreign Minister), Jennifer Granholm (US Secretary of Energy), Mircea Geoană (NATO Deputy Secretary-General). They all condemned and refuse to recognize Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea.
Ukrainian President stated that the Crimean Peninsula had been annexed by Russia for seven years now. It has devolved into a place where human rights are flagrantly violated. He underlined that his country will not be the next victim of territorial takeover. He went on to say that Ukraine is starting a new chapter in the history of “Ukrainian Crimea.” He also encouraged Russia to join the Crimean platform in order to make amends for its awful historical mistake.
