CDA Kvien: US supports Crimea Platform to hold Russia accountable for occupation of peninsula

Chargé d'Affaires of the United States in Ukraine Kristina Kvien made a corresponding statement at the constituent forum of the Crimea Platform expert network, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The United States strongly believes that the annexation of Crimea is a great crime that cannot be forgotten and has been adhering to the policy of non-recognition of Russia's illegal occupation of the Crimean peninsula during the administrations of the three presidents, the CDA noted.

In this context, Kvien assured that the United States would continue to combat human rights abuses in the occupied Crimea, including by imposing personal sanctions on those involved, and would do everything possible to release political prisoners in Crimea.

"Unfortunately, the occupation and the problems that currently exist in Crimea extend beyond the Crimean peninsula as the rights of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians continue to be violated, the occupation of Crimea hinders free access to the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. We know that more needs to be done to hold Russia accountable. That is why the United States always supports the Crimean Platform. We work closely with the Government of Ukraine to support this platform. That’s why we have gathered here today to continue working with independent experts within the Crimean Platform, and this month we will meet with senior officials from around the world to launch its activities," Kvien said.

She informed that USAID was also providing technical and logistical assistance to the Crimea Platform summit.

The Crimea Platform is a new consultative and coordination format initiated by Ukraine to step up the efficiency of international response to the occupation of Crimea, respond to growing security challenges, increase international pressure on Russia, prevent further human rights violations, protect victims of the occupation regime, and achieve the main goal: to de-occupy Crimea and restore Ukraine’s sovereignty over the peninsula.

The Platform is expected to operate at several levels: heads of state and government, foreign ministers, inter-parliamentary cooperation, expert network.

The activity of the Crimea Platform will be officially launched at the inaugural summit in Kyiv on August 23, 2021.

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