“The victory of Ukraine is inevitable. Russia has turned Crimea into a military launchpad, while Ukraine seeks to make it a source of economic growth and social development” — Tamila Tasheva, Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea

The truth of these words is confirmed by historical trends, because unlike Ukraine, relations with Moscow, which came to Crimea in the 18th century with the sword and settler colonialism, have been getting worse over the course of history, ending with the genocide of indigenous peoples. Crimea is first and foremost a place where people live, including indigenous peoples who bear the word “Crimea” in their name but who cannot live in their homeland while it remains under Russian occupation. 

Tamila Tasheva mentioned: “Our citizens in Crimea have to realize now, even before the deoccuopation, what Ukraine is going to be back with. It will be a fair approach to lustration and persecutions, the establishment of justice, and ensuring sustainable economic development. We are going to focus on renewable energy sources and eco-transportation – after the environmental devastation brought by the occupants; tourism, restoration and expansion of international air connections, roads and maritime transportation – after years of financial and physical isolation of Crimea; development of independent cultural institutions; restoration of media freedom; support of NGOs; and freedom of religion – after the years of erasure of the Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar identity, aggressive militarization, oppression of dissent and cleaning up the civil society and religious communities not willing to obey Moscow.”

   Ms. Tasheva emphasized that Ukraine has already made progress by launching important projects in the past year only. In particular, the Team of Crimea, which is working on the human resources needed to restore peaceful life on the peninsula. Also, under the leadership of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the process of signing memoranda of understanding with Ukrainian and international businesses has already begun, declaring that they will start working on the peninsula as soon as the rule of law is restored there.

   “A new vision of a free Crimea without Russian occupants is the point where the Crimean Platform has the potential to transform from a platform for the de-occupation of Crimea to a platform for the restoration of normal life on the peninsula,” said Ms. Tasheva. 

   Tamila Tasheva urged international partners to join the work on the future of Crimea today. And recover the free Ukrainian peninsula together.