International law requires return of Crimea to Ukraine – President of Türkiye

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Türkiye, has said that Crimea should return to Ukraine in accordance with international law. 

According to the Turkish state agency Anadolu, Erdoğan in a video address to the participants of the Crimean Platform Leaders Summit noted that the annexation of Crimea, which Türkiye has opposed from the beginning, has further deepened the suffering of Crimean Tatars who were deported from the peninsula 80 years ago. 

"Our support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence is unwavering. The return of Crimea to Ukraine is a requirement of international law," Erdoğan said.

He stressed that ensuring the security and well-being of Crimean Tatars is one of the priorities of Türkiye's foreign policy. 

Erdoğan also stressed that Crimean Tatars have the right to live a free, secure and peaceful life in their homeland.

"It is gratifying that in June, Nariman Dzhelyal, Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly of Crimean Tatars, was released after almost three years in captivity. We hope for the speedy release of all Crimean Tatars, including brothers Asan and Aziz Akhtemov," he added.

Erdoğan expressed hope that the war in Ukraine would end in a just and lasting peace based on Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence.

The Crimean Platform Summit takes place in Kyiv on 11 September. 

The Crimean Platform Summit is attended by, among others, the Prime Minister of Latvia and the President of Lithuania; the Prime Minister of Croatia; the Speaker of the Czech Senate; the US Secretary of State and the UK Foreign Secretary, and the Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament.