On September 24 in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the Fifth Crimea Platform Summit will take place. The symbolism of this event is obvious: in the year when the UN marks its 80th anniversary, the international community will once again gather around an issue that directly concerns the core principles of the Charter — the inviolability of borders, the right of peoples to self-determination, and the inadmissibility of aggression. In this format, the summit becomes not just a diplomatic forum but a demonstration that the global order holds only when the world responds collectively to challenges and to the actions of states that deliberately violate international law.
On August 23, 2021, the Inaugural Crimea Platform Summit was held in Kyiv at the initiative of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Forty-seven states and international organizations took part. That day became a new milestone in international efforts for the de-occupation of Ukraine’s Crimea, confirming that the issue of the peninsula cannot be frozen or forgotten. At the same time, Russia, seeking revenge, staged a demonstrative crackdown — unlawfully detaining and later sentencing Nariman Dzhelial, the Deputy Head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People.
Despite Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the Second Summit was held — this time in a hybrid format. Polish President Andrzej Duda traveled to Kyiv in person, while leaders of many other states joined online. The focus was on security, strengthening sanctions pressure, releasing prisoners, and supporting the Ukrainian people. It was also crucial that in 2022, the Crimea Platform significantly expanded its geography: for the first time, countries from Africa and Latin America joined the summit. This had fundamental significance, as it showed that the issue of Crimea goes far beyond the European or Euro-Atlantic context. It is a test of justice for all states: whether they are willing to defend international law and the sovereignty of independent countries, even when an aggressor attempts to dictate new “rules of the game.”
The Third Crimea Platform Summit, held in Kyiv in August 2023, became a symbol of extraordinary solidarity. Despite the threat of Russian missile strikes, delegations from around the world came in person to reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. This step carried immense symbolic weight: support shown not in words but through action.
The Fourth Summit in 2024 further strengthened the coalition for Crimea’s de-occupation. Participants adopted a joint statement emphasizing the importance of international law and stressed that without the liberation of the peninsula, a just and lasting peace is impossible. Special attention was given to security in the Black Sea and the protection of human rights in occupied Crimea.
We are grateful to all the countries that maintain a clear and steadfast position: Crimea is Ukraine. Over four years, the Crimea Platform has united more than 60 countries and international organizations, becoming a unique diplomatic instrument for Ukraine. Global support does not allow Russia to reduce its aggression to a “regional issue” or to impose indifference on the world toward the crimes it commits in occupied Crimea.
The Fifth Crimea Platform Summit is yet another chance to remind the world: Crimea has always been and remains an integral part of Ukraine, and the occupying state must be held accountable for all its crimes.
The time has come for serious decisions to maintain international peace and security, to uphold in practice the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and to ensure justice for those who violate international law.
Ukraine, more than any other, knows that peace cannot be taken for granted. Peace can be destroyed by an aggressor in a single moment, and its restoration can be challenging and prolonged.