The Center for Countering Disinformation at the NSDC of Ukraine analyzes the main results of the second Crimean Platform Summit, held on August 23, 2022.
Russian propaganda tried to avoid mentioning this summit in order not to actualize the issue of Crimea’s legal status. Only the chief diplomat of the occupiers s.lavrov called the event “a coven, where the West will continue to caress the neo-Nazi and racist sentiments of the modern Ukrainian government”.
To disparage the event, some marginal “politicians and experts from Crimea” commented on it. In particular, the state duma deputy from Crimea k.bakharev believes that “this is a virtual event in all respects, the meaning of which is to get money from Western sponsors for absolutely unrealistic plans and declared goals”.
His colleague m.sheremet continued the thesis about “wresting Western aid” by the “Kyiv junta” for the existence of Ukraine and called the summit “populist actions to show the overseas masters the ability of the project ‘anti-russia’ to counteract the rf somehow”.
The representative of the so-called Crimean authorities v.konstantinov questioned its prospects and relevance. He believes that the “Crimean Platform” is “a rallying point for all forces seeking to destroy russia, as russophobia has become common in Western politics”.
Another figure of the “Crimean authorities” s.aksionov also voiced a bunch of propaganda clichés about the “bloody Kyiv regime, which acts according to the Western directors’ script”. In his opinion, the “Crimean Platform” is “a parade of political freaks that pushes the return of Crimea further away”.
The propagandists assured that the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights are insignificant for russia, and the sense of the “Crimean platform” is “to squeeze out a couple of billions for completely unrealistic goals”. Some “Crimean political experts” promoted the thesis of the “anti-russian format of Western scenarios for bloody KVN-ers (comedians)” and believed that the answer to the summit should be the rapprochement of russia with the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
At the same time, quotes from the speeches of world leaders at the Crimean Platform summit were widely disseminated in the world media. All of them were unanimous in accusing russia of unjustified aggression against Ukraine, war crimes and nuclear terrorism.
Last year, 46 delegations took part in the first Crimean Platform Summit. The online summit of 2022 has already been attended by about 60 high-ranking officials of leading states and international organizations. About 40 of them are presidents or prime ministers.
Almost all speakers demanded that Crimea be returned to Ukraine and the occupation troops be withdrawn immediately. They declared their support for Ukraine in the liberation war and reported on their financial, military or humanitarian assistance.
Russia’s occupation of Crimea in 2014 became a serious challenge for Ukraine in forming its own system of regional and global security. Therefore, in March 2021, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine adopted the “Strategy for de-occupation and reintegration of the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol”.
The Strategy defined the political and diplomatic direction of the problem solution. However, Ukraine reserves the right to use any other instruments to restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty. Thus, the “Crimean Platform” is an international coordination mechanism to return the Crimean issue to the agenda initiated by Ukraine in 2021.
“The Crimean Platform” advocates for the consolidation of the international policy of non-recognition of any change in Crimea’s international legal status. In particular, it aims to influence the strengthening of sanctions and the protection of international humanitarian law, ensure the safety of navigation in the Azov-Black Sea region and protect the principles of freedom of navigation.
So far, it is the only international forum whose work intends to return Crimea to Ukraine’s control through diplomatic and political means. It is aimed at protecting human rights in Crimea and promoting de-occupation of the peninsula, strengthening European and global security.
Two similar high-level events are planned to be held by the end of 2022: The First Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimean Platform in Zagreb and the Black Sea Region Security Conference at the level of Defense Ministers and Foreign Ministers.
The importance of this year’s Crimean Platform Summit lies in the fact that the issue of de-occupation of Crimea has been transformed from the plane of the need to protect the basic principles of international law to the protection of security and stability of entire Europe.
“Crimean Platform” confirmed that all partners of Ukraine, who participated in the summit, support the position on the need to liberate the peninsula. Thus, there are no prospects to force us to some territorial compromise by recognizing the annexed Crimea as russian.
Russia’s war against Ukraine began with Crimea and must end with its liberation.
