The deoccupation of Crimea remains a key condition for the full restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the establishment of a just and lasting peace. This is stated in the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People’s statement, released on the occasion of the Day of Resistance to the Occupation of Crimea, which is observed on February 26.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Mejlis Statement: Fundamental Position on Crimea
“Any attempts to set aside the issue of Crimea, to ‘freeze’ its status, or to postpone deoccupation are unacceptable and directly contradict international law. No decisions regarding the future of Crimea can be made without the participation and direct consent of the Ukrainian state and the indigenous Crimean Tatar people,” the statement reads.
The statement emphasizes that all attempts to delay or ignore the issue of Crimea contradict international legal norms. The Mejlis stresses that the fate of the peninsula must be determined exclusively with the participation of Ukraine and the Crimean Tatar people. This approach is defined as the only possible path to a just peace and security in the region.
Call to Intensify Pressure on Russia
The Presidium of the Mejlis has called on the international community to intensify sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation until the full restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. In addition, the statement includes a call for more active use of international mechanisms to hold accountable those involved in war crimes and crimes against humanity in the temporarily occupied territories.
February 26 is a significant date for Ukraine and the Crimean Tatar people. On this day in 2014, a mass rally in support of Ukraine’s unity, organized by the Mejlis, took place in Simferopol. This event became one of the most important symbols of resistance to the Russian occupation of the peninsula.
In 2020, the President of Ukraine officially designated February 26 as the Day of Resistance to the Occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. This decision underscores the importance of remembering the events that marked the beginning of the struggle to return Crimea under Ukrainian sovereignty.