On October 23 and 24, Riga will organise the Third Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimea Platform. The summit aims to highlight the global impact of Russia’s aggression, draw international attention to the crimes committed by the aggressor, and promote support for Ukraine. Delegations from around 40 countries will attend the event.
“We believe in a world and a future where Ukraine has prevailed, where every last occupant has been expelled from Ukrainian territory, where Ukraine is whole and free, part of the EU and NATO. Here in Latvia, we know the importance of never recognising foreign occupation by an aggressor state. We will never recognise the illegal annexation by Russia of any part of Ukraine. We must provide justice to the people of Crimea and of Ukraine as a whole. There can be no justice for the Ukrainian people without accountability for crimes committed by Russia,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Baiba Braže, underlined at the opening of the Third Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimea Platform.
Hosting the Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimea Platform in Riga is part of Latvia’s comprehensive support for Ukraine and its commitment to strengthening the rules-based international order. The event is organised by the Saeima (the Latvian Parliament) in close cooperation with the Parliament of Ukraine, known as the Verkhovna Rada.
Minister Braže also emphasised that Crimea was the symbol of Russian aggression, as Russia’s war against Ukraine began in 2014 when Russia bluntly shattered international law and attacked Ukraine’s territorial integrity and independence.
“As the last remaining colonial power in Europe, Russia seeks to destroy our fundamental freedoms and human rights. It is the greatest threat to not only Ukrainian but also European and global security; therefore, Russia must be stopped. Today, we gather in Riga to energise our efforts and help Ukraine achieve victory over the aggressor,” Baiba Braže noted.
The International Crimea Platform was established in 2021 to coordinate and consult among states, parliaments, and experts. Its goal is to raise awareness of the temporary occupation and annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, highlighting its negative effects on local human rights, security in the Black Sea region, global food security, and the rules-based global order. Previous parliamentary summits were held in Zagreb and Prague.
