On July 23, Permanent Representative Olha Kuryshko delivered a speech during the plenary session dedicated to Crimea-related issues. The session, titled “Return of Crimea: A Challenge of Time and a Matter of Justice,” took place as part of the Annual Meeting of the Heads of Ukraine’s Foreign Diplomatic Missions, which this year is held under the motto “From the Strength of Diplomacy to the Diplomacy of Strength.”

The event also featured speeches by Yevhen Perebyinis, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Mustafa Dzhemilev, Member of Parliament and leader of the Crimean Tatar people, and Refat Chubarov, Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People. In a video address to Ukrainian diplomats, Kubanychbek Omuraliev, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States, also conveyed his message.

The Permanent Representative briefed Ukrainian diplomats on the current situation in occupied Crimea. In particular, she highlighted ongoing human rights violations, the resistance of Ukrainian citizens to the occupation, and issues related to the illegal appropriation of land and property. Olha Kuryshko noted that as of July, 220 individuals had been unlawfully imprisoned by the occupying administration, including 133 Crimean Tatars. Additionally, over 1,400 administrative cases have been recorded under Article 20.3.3 of the Russian Code of Administrative Offenses for so-called “discrediting the armed forces of the Russian Federation” in the occupied territory of Crimea.

The Permanent Representative briefed the heads of Ukraine’s foreign diplomatic missions on the current areas of focus for the Mission: monitoring the situation in occupied Crimea, educational initiatives, sanctions policy, organizing information campaigns, and advocacy efforts aimed at drawing national and international attention to the importance of de-occupying Crimea and countering Russian propaganda. She also highlighted the Mission’s involvement in organizing the Crimea Platform Summits, the international conference Crimea Global, cooperation within the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies, and the advocacy mentorship program supporting Crimean political prisoners.

As part of the session, a moderated discussion took place, during which the heads of Ukraine’s foreign diplomatic missions had the opportunity to ask questions and take part in the dialogue.

The Mission expresses its gratitude to Ukraine’s diplomatic missions abroad for their continued cooperation on the issue of Crimea and for supporting the initiatives organized by the Mission.