Kuleba: Ukraine wants to know why UN was not represented at Crimea Platform summit

22.09.2021 09:22

Ukrinform

At a meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky raised the question of why the organization was not represented at the Crimea Platform summit.

"The President raised the issue of Crimea as it is fundamental for him and can never be taken off the table," Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said, commenting on Zelensky's talks with the UN leadership, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

He explained that "we have not heard the answer to this question, but we have heard about the support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine."

"This is a fundamental commitment of the United Nations – to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states. And as a minister, a representative of the founding member of the United Nations, I want to hear a clear answer from the United Nations: why did not it take part in the Crimea Platform summit in any form?" Kuleba said. At the same time, NATO, the Council of Europe, GUAM, and other international organizations found a format for their participation.

According to the Ukrainian foreign minister, there is every reason to believe that "the Russian Federation did some work" as it aimed to disrupt the Crimea Platform summit. "But it failed, and the successful holding of the Crimea Platform summit is a victory for Ukraine," the minister stressed.

He added that the issue of practical involvement of the UN in the problems of Crimea remained open, and the Ukrainian side "voiced several ideas that will be considered by the Secretary-General." "But we will regard it unacceptable if the UN withdraws from resolving the issue of Crimea and Donbas in the interests of a country that has violated Ukrainian sovereignty, borders, and human rights in these territories," Kuleba said, noting he means the Russian Federation.

During talks with Guterres, Zelensky also raised other issues related to Crimea, including human rights in the occupied territories. The President gave the UN Secretary-General a list of political prisoners held in Russia and the occupied Crimea. Guterres promised to make efforts for their release, Kuleba noted.

As reported, Volodymyr Zelensky's working visit to the United States began on September 20. The President arrived in New York to attend the 76th session of the UN General Assembly. His speech at the general debate is scheduled for September 22.