Crimea Platform Summit Adopts New York Declaration, Reaffirms Crimea as Part of Ukraine
World leaders and international organizations gathered at the United Nations headquarters on September 24 for the Fifth Crimea Platform Summit, where participants adopted the “New York Declaration.”
The Gaze reports this, referring to Suspilne, citing the document.
The declaration reaffirms commitment to the principles of the UN Charter, rejects any territorial changes achieved through aggression, condemns ongoing human rights violations in occupied Crimea, particularly against Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians, and supports diplomatic efforts toward a just and lasting peace.
More than 60 delegations took part in the summit, including 19 heads of state and government, ministers and senior representatives from 34 countries spanning all continents, along with seven international organizations. Speakers repeatedly emphasized that Crimea remains an integral part of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy underlined the symbolism of holding the Fifth International Crimea Platform Summit on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, marking its first gathering on the global stage.
“This must demonstrate the global damage caused by Russia’s occupation of Crimea, as well as the harm inflicted by the world’s powerful states because they did not respond decisively and in time to Russia’s aggression in Crimea. It was precisely this weak reaction that returned Russia to its dependence on war and raiding,” he said.
The Ukrainian president also warned against any normalization of Russian aggression, stressing that Ukraine is fighting not only for its territory but also for the international legal order.
Zelenskyy devoted particular attention to the plight of the Crimean Tatars, describing them as the group most affected by rights abuses under Russian occupation.
Mustafa Dzhemilev, leader of the Crimean Tatar people, told the summit that while regaining Crimea would restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity, for his community it is a matter of survival.
“The process of displacing the indigenous people continues. If Crimea is not liberated, the Crimean Tatars risk disappearing as a distinct nation,” he warned.
Zelenskyy thanked partners for strengthening sanctions against Moscow and stressed the need for swift coordination among allies.
Concluding his remarks, he warned that the global community must not allow war, killings, and occupation to become normalized, stressing that Russia seeks to make war the new status quo.
As The Gaze reported earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemned the visit of ambassadors from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to Russian-occupied Crimea and called it a “flagrant violation” of international law, Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.