Thank you so much, Minister!
Dear friends, dear leaders, and Mustafa-aga,
Thank you so much! Happy to see all of you! Thank you for such big support! Really, it is very important!
I am pleased to welcome all of you to the Summit of our Crimea Platform. Today, with over 60 participants – as the Minister already said, this is a really huge result – the Summit is taking place for the first time on a global stage – on the margins of the UN General Assembly. This is to show the global harm caused by Russia’s occupation of Crimea – and also the harm caused by the world’s powerful nations for not responding firmly and in time to Russia’s aggression in Crimea. It was that weak reaction that brought back Russia’s addiction to war and raids.
It was in Crimea that Russia broke one of the basic rules of normal life among nations – by illegally annexing our Ukrainian Crimea. It was Russia’s actions in Crimea that showed many predators around the world how it can be so easy to take a piece of another state. And this is not just a piece of land – it is a piece of life.
Ukraine is home to many peoples and especially to the indigenous people of Crimea – Crimean Tatars. A people who can truly feel what “home” means only in Crimea. Russians have many places on their vast land to feel at home. But for them, it is never, never, never enough – even the largest territory in the world is not enough for them. And from Crimea, Russia returned to its old imperial habit – to take what is precious to its neighbors.
Dear friends,
We have to remember what Crimea is. We must act so that Russia knows – we remember, and we will not forgive, and we are fighting for international law and basic human justice to prevail.
I thank everyone who maintains and strengthens sanctions in response to Russia's war. And it’s important to coordinate sanctions fast – our steps with partners, and their steps with each other.
We are taking action to prevent Russia from turning Crimea into one large military base. We have to do this to protect the lives of our people. Our long-range drones are accurate. Our pressure on Russian logistics is producing results. The Russian war machine is facing serious, very serious difficulties.
It is vital that the world keeps in mind the suffering of civilians whose lives Russia has destroyed in the occupied territories. Today, repression is the harshest in Crimea and other areas under Russian control – for speaking the truth, for wanting freedom, even for faith. Crimean Tatars, Muslims are among the main targets of this repression. Imagine – some Crimean prisoners have been deprived of their freedom since 2014 – already 11 years.
So, Ukraine’s main message is this: Do not let war become part of the norm. Russia very much wants to make war the “new normal.” And this is exactly what we must resist – not allowing killings and Russian occupation to become something the world can simply turn a blind eye to. There must be no normalization of Russia’s war or of Russia’s brazenness to wage it. There must be no easing or lifting of sanctions on Russia while the war and occupation continue. And there must be no forgiveness for what Russia has done – starting from 2014. The occupier must be held accountable for the occupation and for all the crimes of this war – a war in which only Russia is guilty.
Thank you! Thank you to everyone who stands with Ukraine, to all the leaders and to the leader of Crimean Tatars! Thank you very much!
Glory to Ukraine!
