3rd Crimea Platform Summit Commences in Kyiv

Today's meeting in Kyiv, featuring leaders and governments at the Summit of the International Crimea Platform, will focus on issues of territorial integrity, the future of the peninsula post-deoccupation, and humanitarian policy. Another key topic will be security in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, vital for the operation of international grain corridors.

This was reported by Ukraine's First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emine Dzhaparova, on the eve of the summit.

She noted that this year's third International Crimea Platform Summit will deliver two additional messages that Ukraine wants to convey to its partners. Specifically, that there can be no trade involving Crimea and that Ukraine alone will decide the path of the peninsula's deoccupation.

"Unlike the first two summits, where our goal was to affirm territorial integrity and rally maximum support from our partners around this issue, this year's summit will broadcast two additional messages that Ukraine wants to send to our partners. The first is that there can be no trade involving Crimea, as it is an integral part of Ukraine. The second is that Ukraine alone will determine the way to deoccupy the peninsula," said Emine Dzhaparova.

She also added that for the first time in the history of the Crimea Platform, there will be an internal political track.

"The second and third panels, President of Ukraine has decided to dedicate to the future of Crimea. He wants to send a strong signal that there will be post-war restoration of Crimea, that there will be economic recovery in Crimea, and that we will turn Crimea into our own Silicon Valley," emphasised Ukraine's First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emine Dzhaparova.

For the second consecutive year, due to Russia's war of aggression, large-scale events are not being held in Ukraine. However, on August 23, Ukraine will traditionally host the Crimea Platform Summit. This time it will be conducted in a blended, hybrid format with the aim to involve even more international participants.

The first summit in 2021 had 45 delegates predominantly from Western countries, as well as representatives from NATO, the EU, and the Council of Europe.

The second Crimea Platform Summit took place in 2022, after Russia's full-scale invasion. The number of participants then increased to 60, with foreign leaders proposing specific military steps.

For the third Crimea Platform, representatives from 100 countries are invited. More delegates from Global South countries are expected to attend compared to previous years.