The Third Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimean Platform, which takes place on October 24, 2024, in Riga, is a milestone in Ukraine’s efforts to consolidate international support in returning Crimea and protecting the territorial integrity of the country. Delegations from more than 40 countries participate in the summit, including the UK, France, Germany, the Baltic countries, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Canada, Spain, Turkey and many others. There are also key international organizations among them, such as the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the OSCE and NATO Parliamentary Assembly. This event emphasizes the solidarity of the international community with Ukraine in its desire to restore justice and return its territories.
The Crimean Platform was created by Ukraine on August 23, 2021, to raise awareness about an illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014. The main goal of the initiative is the coordination of international efforts aimed at deoccupation of the peninsula and restoring the sovereignty of Ukraine. The platform has become an important diplomatic instrument, placing the Crimean issue on the top of the international agenda, despite the constant Russia’s efforts to silence this.
At the Summit in Riga, not only the liberation of Crimea, but also the restoration of control over all the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine is discussed. In the focus is a Victory Plan, based on the principles of the UN Charter, including the right to self-defense and respect for territorial integrity. This plan includes concrete steps for deoccupation and restoration of justice, which is the only legitimate way to achieve a lasting peace.
Thus, the visit of the UN Secretary General António Guterres for the BRICS Summit is particularly controversial. His participation in the forum organized by Russia — a country that violates international law and is at war with Ukraine, caused sharp criticism. This undermines confidence in the UN as an organization designed to protect international peace and security.
There are a lot of doubts here, given that Ukraine protects not only its boundaries, but also the security of the whole of Europe. This undermines the UN as a neutral mediator in international conflicts that fails to support its principles.
Thus, against the backdrop of the active efforts of Ukraine and its allies to restore its territorial integrity based on international law, the UN Secretary General’s actions seem unjust, as they contradict global efforts to restore peace.
Unlike the so-called “peaceful initiatives” of China and Brazil, which focus on the ceasefire and negotiations, but do not resolve fundamental issues, the Victory Plan requires the withdrawal of Russian troops and bringing Russia to justice for aggression. The plan of China and Brazil ignores the restoration of the occupied territories and justice for the victims, which equates the aggressor to the victim, with no justice.
These proposals actually freeze the conflict, allowing Russia to preserve its gains, which is unacceptable for a lasting peace. The Victory Plan of Ukraine, on the contrary, offers a clear action plan to restore the territorial integrity of Ukraine, including the criminal and financial liability for Russia. The international community, especially the Western countries, supports this plan, recognizing that only justice can guarantee the lasting peace in Europe and the world.
One of the key topics of the summit is to strengthen the military support for Ukraine. The participating countries discussed the need to increase the supply of air defense and missile defense systems that would help protect Ukrainian cities and accelerate the liberation of the occupied territories. Western countries play a key role in the supply of weapons, and this is an important factor that restrains Russian aggression and prevents its further invasion.
The Crimean Platform in Riga once again confirms that the only way to a just and lasting peace is the victory of Ukraine on the battlefield and the implementation of the Victory Plan. International support plays a key role in this process, and the summit emphasizes the need to further strengthen Ukraine’s assistance to restore its territorial integrity and prevent further acts of aggression from Russia and its allies.