Zelensky, Pejcinovic Buric discuss protection of human rights in occupied territories

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has met with Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejcinovic Buric to discuss the protection of human rights in the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea and eastern Ukraine, the President's Office has reported.

Zelensky noted the intensification of cooperation between Ukraine and the Council of Europe and added that this was Pejcinovic Buric's second visit to Ukraine this year, the report said.

"I want to thank you and your colleagues for your great attention to Ukraine, for supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our state," Zelensky said.

He also emphasized the importance of the Council of Europe's participation in the inaugural summit of the Crimea Platform on August 23.

"We were pleased to welcome you to Kyiv and look forward to the further active involvement of Council of Europe experts in the work of this international mechanism against the occupation of the Crimean peninsula," Zelensky said.

In this regard, both parties paid considerable attention to the role that the Council of Europe should play in the protection of human rights in temporarily occupied Crimea and eastern Ukraine.

They also discussed the practical modalities of involving the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in monitoring the human rights situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine in accordance with the norms of international law and national legislation.

The president said that the Ukrainian side was waiting for the first report by Pejcinovic Buric on the human rights situation in temporarily occupied Crimea and was ready to cooperate in this important area.

"I am convinced that your visit to the administrative border with the Autonomous Republic of Crimea has provided a deeper understanding of the importance of this issue and will help prepare the report," Zelensky said.

Zelensky called on the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to promote the involvement of all mechanisms of this international organization for the release of Ukrainians who are illegally detained by Russia in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and in Russia.

Zelensky and Pejcinovic Buric considered the issue of practical support from the Secretariat of the Council of Europe to Ukraine's European integration, including in the areas of human rights protection, rule of law and development of democratic institutions, appreciating this cooperation.

Photo: President's Office