On the Day of Resistance to the Occupation of Crimea, President Volodymyr Zelensky recalled the events of 2014, when the world advised Ukraine to remain silent about Russia's annexation of the peninsula.
Points of attention
- The occupation of Crimea by Russia marked the beginning of the war against Ukraine, a fact that was initially ignored by the world in 2014.
- Efforts to confront the aggressor and take responsibility for military actions are essential in ensuring lasting peace in the region.
Crimea was and is Ukraine — Zelenskyy
Zelensky noted that the aggressor should not receive any reward for the war, for peace to be truly lasting, everyone must understand: these are not just words.
The world, unfortunately, already had the opportunity to verify this 12 years ago. The Russian war against Ukraine began with the occupation of our Crimea, and the world actually turned a blind eye to it. The leaders of the time were not interested in the rallies and resistance in Crimea and the feelings of Ukraine in general. The world advised Ukraine to remain silent. That is why Putin believed that he could afford a much larger war and a tougher confrontation with the West.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
President of Ukraine
Now, every year on February 26 — the Day of Resistance to the Occupation of Crimea — we remember this global lesson and honor those who did not remain silent or yield to Russian aggression. And we insist that the responsibility of the aggressor for the war is one of the guarantees of security, one of the strongest prerequisites for lasting peace.
Thank you to everyone in the world who supports us in this, participates in the work of our Crimean platform and in other international formats that remind the world about Crimea and the significance of its occupation by Russia.
Thank you to everyone who helps Ukraine resist Russian repression in Crimea, helps us return people from captivity and prevent the occupation regime from strengthening. The Russian presence on our peninsula serves only war and nothing more. There must be peace, and therefore, Crimea is Ukraine, and the world must recognize this fact without change. Qırım evine qaytmalıdır! Glory to Ukraine!
