Side event within the framework of the fourth summit of the Crimea Platform

The Fourth Summit of the Crimea Platform included events dedicated to the deportation of Ukrainian children to the territory of the Russian Federation, the importance of implementing Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Peace Formula, in particular the return of deportees and prisoners, and the place of Crimea in the Peace Formula.

The events were organized by the Mission and Expert Network of the Crimea Platform in partnership with the Crimean Human Rights Group and the ZMINA Human Rights Center.

The first part of the event, which was dedicated to deported children, featured a moderated conversation with Valeriia Sydorova, who was deported from Nova Kakhovka to occupied Crimea after February 24, 2022, as a minor and spent some time in one of the “re-education camps.” 

The event began with opening remarks by Deputy Permanent Representative Olha Kuryshko and Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Rostyslav Tronenko. In his speech, Mr. Tronenko emphasized the importance of the testimonies of our citizens who have been victims of criminal acts and who, despite all the challenges, want to return to Ukraine and build their future with our country. 

The conversation with Valeria Sydorova was also joined by her guardian and communications expert, Olha Tymchenko. The event was moderated by Iryna Suslova, Representative of the Ombudsperson for Children’s Rights and Head of the Child Rights Protection Center at the Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights.

The second part of the event, a panel discussion on Crimea and the Peace Formula, The Humanitarian Aspect, began with a welcome speech by Oleksandr Korniienko, First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Mr. Korniienko emphasized the importance of the Peace Formula and, in particular, the release of all Ukrainian citizens from Russian captivity. 

Several foreign and Ukrainian experts joined the discussion, including Wilfried Jilge, German historian specializing in Ukraine and Eastern Europe, Associate Research Fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), Center for Order and Governance in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia; William Taylor, American diplomat, Vice President of the United States Institute for Peace; Rory Finnin, Founder and Head of Ukrainian Studies at Cambridge University, researcher of Crimean history, United 24 volunteer; Dr. Okabe Yoshihiko, Professor at Kobe Gakuin University, President of the Association of Ukrainian Studies in Japan, Ukrainian scholar; Olha Skrypnyk, Head of the Board of the Crimean Human Rights Group, Coordinator of the Crimea Platform Expert Network; Elvin Kadyrov, Representative of the Commissioner for the Rights of the Residents of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol. 

Tetiana Pechonchyk, Head of the Board of the ZMINA Human Rights Center, moderated the event.