The Mission held a meeting with the delegation of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). The meeting was attended by Permanent Representative Tamila Tasheva, Head of the Crimea Platform Support Service Maria Tomak, Deputy Director General of the Ukrainian Institute Alim Aliiev, Chairman of the Board of the NGO CrimeaSOS Oleksii Tilnenko, and Chairman of the Board of the Center for Defense Strategies Andrii Zahorodniuk. The foundation’s delegation was represented by President and CEO Damon Wilson, Senior Director for Europe Assia Ivantcheva, and Senior Program Officer for Europe Iryna Smolina.

During the meeting, the parties discussed various aspects of the situation in occupied Crimea and the Black Sea region, including security, human rights, and ways to expand and deepen future cooperation. Attention was focused on holding the upcoming Parliamentary Summit of the Crimea Platform, the Black Sea Security Conference, and the Crimea Global international conference as platforms for promoting the de-occupation and reintegration of Crimea. In addition, Alim Aliiev presented the results and directions of the Ukrainian Institute’s work, particularly in supporting Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar culture and identity in the occupied territory.

The Permanent Representative emphasized the urgency of supporting the resistance movements in occupied Crimea:

It is important to support organizations and associations that continue to resist the occupiers in Crimea. Not only are armed actions important, but sometimes small steps to show resistance are also needed. Putting up a Ukrainian flag or posting leaflets in support of Ukraine is a risky but extraordinary effort by our citizens living under occupation.

Andrii Zahorodniuk briefed the participants on the current security situation in the Black Sea region and Crimea, and Oleksii Tilnenko focused on the documented cases of human rights violations by the occupation administration, including systematic harassment of Ukrainian citizens and political repression of the indigenous peoples of Ukraine.

Damon Wilson, President and CEO of the National Endowment for Democracy, expressed his unwavering support for the efforts to de-occupy Crimea and stated that US support for Ukraine remains unchanged. He also emphasized Ukraine’s progress in strengthening its democratic institutions.

The Mission’s team thanked the NED representatives for their steadfast support of Ukraine and its efforts to promote the de-occupation of Crimea and support for human rights and indigenous peoples.