“We have to remember what Crimea is. We must act so that Russia knows – we remember, and we will not forgive, and we are fighting for international law and basic human justice to prevail,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an address at the Fifth Summit of the International Crimea Platform in New York on Sept. 24.
I am pleased to welcome all of you to the Summit of our Crimea Platform. Today, with over 60 participants – as the Minister already said, this is a really huge result – the Summit is taking place for the first time on a global stage – on the margins of the UN General Assembly. This is to show the global harm caused by Russia’s occupation of Crimea – and also the harm caused by the world’s powerful nations for not responding firmly and in time to Russia’s aggression in Crimea. It was that weak reaction that brought back Russia’s addiction to war and raids.
It was in Crimea that Russia broke one of the basic rules of normal life among nations – by illegally annexing our Ukrainian Crimea. It was Russia’s actions in Crimea that showed many predators around the world how it can be so easy to take a piece of another state. And this is not just a piece of land – it is a piece of life.
Ukraine is home to many peoples and especially to the indigenous people of Crimea – Crimean Tatars. A people who can truly feel what “home” means only in Crimea. Russians have many places on their vast land to feel at home. But for them, it is never, never, never enough – even the largest territory in the world is not enough for them. And from Crimea, Russia returned to its old imperial habit – to take what is precious to its neighbors.
Full text of the address: Office of the President of Ukraine
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