Dzheppar presents Crimean Platform to European and Euro-Atlantic partners

"On March 15, First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Dzheppar took part in an online event dedicated to the 7th anniversary of Russia's temporary occupation of Crimea, organized by the European Policy Centre and the Mission of Ukraine to NATO," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reports.

The event was also attended by Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Defense for European Integration Anatolii Petrenko, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy James Appathurai, Chair of the Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly Andrius Kubilius, other MEPs, representatives of leading European and American NGOs dealing with issues of the Black Sea security.

"The main purpose of the discussion was to acquaint the foreign audience with the situation in the temporarily occupied Crimea, namely increasing militarization and bold violations of international and international humanitarian law (human rights violations, suppression of religious freedoms, forced conscription into the army of the  Russian occupation authorities, expropriation of Ukrainian property, etc.), as well as the presentation of the Crimean Platform as a new international coordination and advisory format which aims to consolidate the attention and resources of the international community in the de-occupation of Crimea," the Foreign Ministry informs.

In this regard, Dzheppar talked about the activities that Ukraine conducts to ensure international support for this initiative and preparation for the summit on August 23, 2021, in particular by creating an appropriate expert network that brings together Ukrainian and foreign experts from think tanks, NGOs and media that will provide information and analytical support for the Platform.

"The Crimean Platform is a format based on a strategic vision, consolidation of support from international partners and, in fact, the synergy of these efforts. When we talk about NATO's role in the Crimean Platform, we primarily mean deterrence measures in the Black Sea region - joint training and exercises, increasing the Alliance's presence, political support and a policy of non-recognition," the deputy minister said.

In her speech, Emine Dzheppar also drew attention to the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine to approve the State Strategy for De-occupation and Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol, which defines the main vectors of national policy towards the de-occupation of the peninsula.

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