On August 28, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Mariana Betsa participated in the 4th International Forum of the Expert Network of the International Crimea Platform.

In her statement, the Deputy Minister noted that the Crimea Platform remains a key instrument for the de-occupation of the Crimean Peninsula in all its dimensions – governmental, parliamentary, and expert. She emphasized that every new participant and every new project within the framework of the Platform represents an important step towards the return of the peninsula.

“The issue of the de-occupation of Crimea is about our people, justice, and national dignity. That is why it remains one of the key priorities for our state,” Mariana Betsa underlined.

She thanked representatives of the expert community and civil society for their efforts in keeping the issue of Crimea’s de-occupation high on the international agenda.

Mariana Betsa called on international partners to increase pressure on the Russian Federation in order to secure the release of all illegally detained Ukrainian citizens. In this context, she informed about the measures taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to strengthen the program of international mentorship aimed at facilitating the release of political prisoners.

The Deputy Minister also highlighted the importance of documenting Russian war crimes, which should serve as a solid evidence base for holding the Russian Federation internationally accountable for its crime of aggression against Ukraine.

The Forum was also addressed by Ihor Zhovkva, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine; Olha Kuryshko, Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea; and Vladyslav Yesypenko, a Radio Liberty freelance journalist and former political prisoner.