President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in the forum "26-2-14: The War Began in Crimea". In his video address, the Head of State emphasized that since the Russian Federation illegally occupied Crimea 10 years ago, persecution, repression and humiliation of people have begun on the peninsula. And we have to fight for the full restoration of international law in relation to Crimea, and therefore to any other land.
"Wars truly end with justice when the evil that gave rise to them is quelled. And that is why a sense of justice and a pursuit of peace must go hand in hand. This requires, in particular, not forgetting about Crimea. Fighting for Crimea," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The President emphasized that Ukraine should continue to increase its counteraction to Russia at all possible levels and fight for people in all occupied territories.
The Head of State thanked everyone who makes efforts for the victory: soldiers, members of the resistance movement, international partners, everyone who releases illegally convicted by the occupiers and supports everyone, preserving their faith in justice.
Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak emphasized that it was on February 26, 2014, that Crimean residents demonstrated their support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine at a rally.
"As long as the occupation continues, neither Ukraine, nor Europe, nor any other region of the world will be safe," he said.
The Head of the President's Office also emphasized that the Russian Federation systematically exerts pressure on Crimean residents and imprisons them. In particular, the Crimean Tatars, representatives of the indigenous people of Ukraine, are subjected to persecution and pressure.
The Permanent Representative of the President in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Tamila Tasheva added that this forum is an opportunity to once again highlight the problem of the occupation of the Crimean peninsula and to unite society around the struggle for a free Crimea.
In his speech, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk emphasized that on February 26, 2014, Ukrainian citizens gathered on the main square of Simferopol to say "no" to the occupation and support the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and that is how the resistance began.
"At that time, we had no idea what Russia was capable of doing for the sake of its regime's imperial delusions. International law and human rights ceased to exist on the peninsula. Over the years of occupation, Crimea has become a territory of lawlessness," Ruslan Stefanchuk noted.
According to him, today more and more countries around the world are beginning to realize that Russia will not stop at Ukraine, just as it did not stop at the occupation of Crimea. Therefore, repeating the mistakes of the past will cost the world incomparably more.
"Our task is to convey this simple truth to the world and build a coalition of our allies," the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada emphasized.
Ruslan Stefanchuk added that the international Crimea Platform has become an important element of these efforts and has made it possible to systematize the work on various platforms. He assured that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, for its part, is developing this front through parliamentary diplomacy.
The forum was also attended by Iryna Vereshchuk, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, Martin Harris, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ukraine, Refat Chubarov, Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine, government officials, members of the Ukrainian Parliament, diplomats, national and international experts.
The event was organized by the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the Crimea Platform, the State Enterprise "International Multimedia Broadcasting Platform of Ukraine" and the Partnership for Resilience of Ukraine Foundation.