Zelensky At Crimea Platform: Ukrainians Under Occupation Must Have Hope Russia Will Face Accountability

(MENAFN- UkrinForm) The Ukrainian President made the statemen during his address at the Sixth Summit of the International Crimea Platform, which is being held in New York.

“This disrespect [for international law] began in 2014, when Russia entered Crimea. There can be no full return to normality without Crimea, without restoring security, protecting people and lives, freeing the prisoners Russia is holding, and returning to the basic principles of international law. Territorial integrity matters, the sovereignty of states matters, human lives matter. And Russia has to learn this,” Zelensky said.

Referring in his speech to the need to return to the norms of international law, the President stressed that for Ukraine this would primarily mean holding Russia accountable.

“We want the people Russia keeps under occupation in Crimea and in other temporarily occupied parts of our country – in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, in our Ukrainian Donbas, those Russia keeps in prisons and camps, to at least have hope that one day Russia will be held accountable for all these crimes,” the President stressed.

Zelensky also noted that more than 60 participants, including 16 leaders from all continents, are taking part in this year's Crimea Platform Summit. Panama and Trinidad and Tobago joined the initiative for the first time. According to him, this is the largest representation at the summit in all six years of its existence.

“The representation keeps growing. And today it is the strongest we have had in all the years of the Crimea Platform. And this global presence really matters. This is not just another format, and it is not just an annual meeting,” the President emphasized, underscoring the importance of the Crimea Platform.

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As reported, the Sixth Summit of the International Crimea Platform is being held during the UN General Assembly High-Level Week and brings together Ukraine's international partners at the highest political level. The focus is on the situation in temporarily occupied Crimea, systematic human rights violations, the militarization of the peninsula, including its youth and education systems, as well as further joint steps toward the de-occupation of Crimea.

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