12 September 2024

The Fourth Crimea Platform Summit: Alina Frolova, Coordinator of the Crimea Platform Expert Network, Deputy Head of the Centre for Defence Strategies

“What Ukraine is fighting for is not just democracy and freedom of choice — it is the right to basic humanity, which we are being deprived of: not only by our enemies who abuse hostages and execute prisoners, but sometimes by our partners who allow the normalization of war crimes,” said Alina Frolova, Coordinator of the Crimea Platform Expert Network, Deputy Head of the Centre for Defence Strategies.

Alina Frolova, Coordinator of the Crimea Platform Expert Network, emphasized that the issue of mutual prisoner release is critical, especially since the Ukrainian side lacks an accurate count of prisoners. “The Russians, not only Putin, will continue to take more hostages to use them as bargaining chips,” she stated. “We have recently witnessed the so-called ‘great exchange’ of European and American citizens for Russian spies and murderers. Every human life is of the highest value, a value shared by both Europe and Ukraine. But what about the right to justice for those who have been killed, raped, or poisoned? How do we explain such exchanges to them?” she added.

Frolova delivered a powerful message, asserting that defense is not about weakness but about strength. “There will be no security if you and we are not strong. Ukraine has already made the mistake of allowing itself to become weak. We are now rectifying this at a very high cost –the cost of our lives. The question now is what you, our partners, will be like,” said the Crimean Platform’s Security Coordinator.

Finally, she emphasized that understanding the threat by partners is only part of contributing to peacebuilding. “Don’t waste the sacrifice of the Ukrainian people, because your future can be different too. Don’t let them take you hostage, as happened in Crimea. Let us restore justice for every prisoner, for Crimea, for Ukraine, and for the world.”

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