The Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, Refat Chubarov, urged the international community, particularly the United States, to undertake any efforts regarding the future of Crimea only with the participation and consent of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people and the Ukrainian state.
At the forum "11 Years of War. Starting Point: Crimea" on Wednesday, Chubarov emphasized that "any proposals, regardless of their source, that suggest Ukraine concede part of its territory as a condition for ending the war, must be rejected by Ukrainian society and the Ukrainian government."
He stressed that without the liberation of Crimea, a just and lasting peace cannot be achieved, which would ensure the protection of the rights and interests of all citizens of Ukraine, their freedom, and security.
"At the same time, we appeal to the international community, particularly the United States of America, to conduct any efforts to achieve peace for Ukraine only with the participation and consent of the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian state, and any attempts to resolve the future of Crimea must involve the participation and consent of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people and the Ukrainian state," Chubarov stated.
The Chairman of the Mejlis expressed gratitude to all countries for their political, diplomatic, military, and economic support for Ukraine, as well as appreciation and support for all servicemen of the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine and residents of occupied Crimea who remain loyal to Ukraine.
"In these days, when various proposals for ending the Russian-Ukrainian war have become frequent, we insist, if you will, that the President of Ukraine, world leaders, and all those involved in future negotiations should start from the premise that Crimea is the cradle of the Crimean Tatar people, their homeland, and an integral part of the Ukrainian state. Hence, Crimea is Ukraine—nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, nothing about Crimea without Ukraine and the Crimean Tatar people," Chubarov emphasized.
He separately noted that over 11 years of Russian occupation, Crimea has been transformed into a military stronghold, and the occupying authorities systematically and civilly violate the collective rights of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people and human rights, carry out repression, and criminally mobilize residents of Crimea, implementing a policy of altering the ethnic composition of the peninsula and deliberately destroying the ethnic and civil identity of Ukrainian citizens.
"Reshat Ametov became the first victim of the Russian occupiers. More than 225 citizens of Ukraine, two-thirds of whom are Crimean Tatars, have been deprived of their freedom by the Russian occupiers. However, despite all the efforts of the occupiers, Crimean Tatars, Ukrainians, and all loyal residents of Crimea continue to provide mental, cultural, and physical resistance to the occupation," said the Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, Refat Chubarov.
He emphasized that thousands of people from Crimea are defending the country as part of the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine, bringing victory over the Russian enemy closer.
"On the Day of Resistance to the Russian Occupation of Crimea, we again state: the issue of the liberation and de-occupation of Crimea must remain on the international agenda, despite all attempts by Russia to present the issue of the occupied peninsula as allegedly resolved and not subject to revision," Chubarov urged.