European Commission president declines invitation to Crimean Platform summit
According to the report, a response letter to turn down the invitation, in violation of diplomatic protocol, has been signed by her cabinet chief, Bjorn Seibert.
"Regrettably the president is unable to give a positive response to your invitation due to a particularly heavy agenda on the days in question Thank you in advance for your understanding," the news site quoted the letter under Seibert's signature, dated April 7.
According to the report, the reason given for declining the invite — an overly busy agenda — also raised questions among diplomats and officials, given that the events in Kyiv are set for August 23 and 24, a time when Brussels and the EU institutions are all but shuttered for summer holidays. According to Politico journalists, the form of the letter raises additional questions, as according to the protocol, the response to Zelensky's invitation should have been signed by the European Commission president.
The revelation comes amid days of debate about proper diplomatic procedure following last week's so-called Sofagate scandal in Ankara, in which von der Leyen was relegated to a couch while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and European Council President Charles Michel sat in stately chairs.
"Rejecting such an invitation could raise doubts about von der Leyen's commitment to demonstrating support for Ukraine at a time when Russia is amassing the highest number of troops at its border since 2014 — the year Moscow annexed Crimea and pro-Russian separatists seized a large swathe of eastern Ukraine," the article reads.
According to journalists, the rejection of Zelensky's invitation also further highlights the frayed relations, and differing approaches to foreign policy, between von der Leyen and the EU's other top official, European Council President Michel. Michel was first invited to the events by Zelensky during an official visit to Ukraine last month, where Michel went to the contact line of the occupied territories. Michel immediately pledged to do his best to attend, and said he would rearrange his summer holiday plans if needed, according to EU officials.
According to the report, other EU officials said von der Leyen's decision not to attend the independence celebration was complicating efforts to schedule an EU-Ukraine Council meeting that is due to take place in Ukraine, and which Council officials were hoping to hold at the same time.
"It's important to show support for Ukraine, especially at this time. Zelensky needs us," one EU official said, referring to the recent buildup of Russian troops.
As Ukrinform reported, the Crimean Platform is a new consultative and coordination format initiated by Ukraine to increase the effectiveness of the international response to the occupation of Crimea, respond to growing security challenges, increase international pressure on Russia to achieve the main goal of de-occupying Crimea and returning it to Ukraine. The first Crimean Platform summit has been set for August 23, 2021, on the eve of Ukraine's Independence Day.
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