The Crimea Platform – is a new international consultation and coordination format initiated by Ukraine.
The Platform aims to increase the effectiveness of international response to the ongoing occupation of Crimea and mounting security threats, respond to growing security threats, increase international pressure on the Kremlin, prevent further human rights violations and protect victims of the occupation regime, and achieve the main goal – de-occupation of Crimea and its peaceful return to Ukraine.
On August 23, the inaugural Summit in Kyiv will officially launch the Crimea Platform.
A Joint Declaration outlining the framework of international policy on Crimea will be adopted at the Summit.
The Crimea Platform aims at uniting under its umbrella various thematic events and initiatives on Crimea in the framework of international organizations, governmental and non-governmental forums.
The Crimea Platform will function on different levels:
- governmental,
- parliamentary,
- expert and
- local.
The long-term goal of the Crimea Platform is to return Crimea to the space of stability, prosperity and protection of human rights – to Ukraine and Europe.
The leading role in the parliamentary dimension belongs to the Crimea Platform Inter-Factional Association established in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in December 2020. The inter-factional association will promote active cooperation within parliamentary assemblies of international organizations.
On April 27, 2021, the Crimea Platform Support Group was established within the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
The Crimea Platform Support Groups were also formed on May 11 and 15, 2021 in the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania and the Seimas of the Republic of Latvia.
The Expert Network Crimea Platform represents the non-governmental dimension of the Crimea Platform. The global network brings together Ukrainian and foreign experts, scholars, and human rights activists.
The network will provide analytical and informational support to the governmental and parliamentarian dimension of the Crimea Platform. Expert diplomacy will also contribute to raising global awareness of the situation in Crimea under the Russian temporary occupation.
The inaugural Forum of the Expert Network took place on August 6, 2021.