President Erdoğan: "The return of Crimea to Ukraine, of which it is an inseparable part, is essentially a requirement under international law."
President Erdoğan attended the Crimea Platform Online Leaders' Summit via video message.
Greeting President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, other heads of state and government and representatives of international organisations attending the summit, President Erdoğan stated that he was pleased to address the summit organised on the occasion of the 1st anniversary of the establishment of the Crimea Platform.
Expressing his gratitude to Ukrainian President Zelensky for his kind invitation, President Erdoğan stated that they think the platform established to defend the Crimean cause more effectively through peaceful means is appropriate and they support it.
Reiterating that they showed their support to the establishment summit held in Kyiv last year with the attendance of Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu in person, President Erdoğan stated that they would continue to contribute to the work of the platform at all levels in the coming period.
"It is a requirement under international law"
Emphasising that Türkiye does not recognise the annexation of Crimea and that this step is illegitimate and illegal, President Erdoğan said:
"This is a principled stance that has not only legal but also moral foundations. The return of Crimea to Ukraine, of which it is an inseparable part, is essentially a requirement under the international law. Protecting Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and political unity is critical not only for regional but also for global security and stability. Ensuring the security and well-being of our Crimean-Tatar kin, one of the indigenous peoples of Crimea, is also among Türkiye's priorities. Our Crimean Tatar citizens are closely following the current situation in Crimea. On this occasion, I want to reiterate once again our expectation that the First Deputy Chairperson of the Majlis of the Crimean Tatar People, Nariman Celal, and his friends, who were imprisoned after attending the platform's first summit in Kiev last year, would be able to soon return to their homes and families."
President Erdoğan said that the Crimean Tatars, who have endured enormous pain throughout history, are fighting for a peaceful life in their homeland and that Türkiye will continue to support both the Ukrainian government and the Crimean Tatars in this process.
"We are determined to continue our mediation efforts relentlessly"
President Erdoğan stated that they believed the war that has been ongoing since February must end with a just peace based on Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Recalling that as Türkiye, they have made major efforts to make the diplomatic channel effective for this purpose, they have achieved significant and tangible achievements such as the Türkiye-Russia-Ukraine Foreign Ministers Meeting held in Antalya in March and the peace talks hosted in Istanbul, and the Grain Shipment Agreement, President Erdoğan noted:
"During my visit to Lviv on August 18, we once again demonstrated this stance. However, the continuation of the momentum and its transformation into lasting results depend on the steps the parties will take on the road to peace. We are determined to continue our facilitation and mediation efforts relentlessly in line with the establishment of peace. With the end of the war and the restoration of peace and stability of the Black Sea basin, not just the region but the entire world will breathe a sigh of relief. With these thoughts in mind, I want to reiterate our support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine, including Crimea, and our desire for a swift return to peace in our region. I greet you with respect and extend my heartfelt gratitude. May you all remain safe and healthy."