Ukraine’s territory indivisible, inviolable - Blinken cites wording of 1991 referendum

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a video address to the summit of the Crimea Platform, cited the provision that the Ukrainian people voted for in the 1991 referendum: "The territory of Ukraine is indivisible and inviolable."

This is reported by Ukrinform.

Blinken noted that the U.S. had sided with Ukraine in protecting the principles underlying the UN Charter – regarding sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.

He recalled that Russia subjects Crimean residents to repression, persecutes journalists, activists, religious and political leaders, and tries to militarize Ukrainian children in Crimea in so-called summer camps.

"Crimea is Ukraine. We do not, we will not recognize Russia's illegal attempted annexation," the secretary of state emphasized.

According to him, the international community will continue to work through the Crimea Platform to support the restoration of Ukrainian control over all its territory, including Crimea, to shine a spotlight on Russia's abuses and Crimea to address the security risks and economic harm caused by Russia's invasion and occupation, to call for the release of all political prisoners held by Russia, in particular the deputy chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, Nariman Dzhelal, who was sentenced to 17 years of hard labor after participating in the inaugural summit of the Crimea Platform.

The principle of indivisibility and inviolability of the Ukrainian territory, which Ukrainians voted for 32 years ago, "brings us together today," Blinken emphasized. "And that's what we'll keep defending together."

As Ukrinform reported, the third International Summit of the Crimea Platform was held in Kyiv on Wednesday, dedicated to Ukraine's vision regarding the future of temporarily occupied Crimea and security issues in the Black Sea region.