Speech by Tom de Bruijn, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, at the Crimean Platform
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Tom de Bruijn, stepped in for Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sigrid Kaag, at the launch of the Crimean Platform in Kiev. Ukraine invited the Netherlands to take part in the launch, where Minister De Bruijn made the following statement:
Statement by Tom de Bruijn, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, at the Crimean Platform, 23 August 2021
President Zelensky, Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
I remember vividly how seven years ago today, Russia demonstrated a shameless and complete disregard for international law when it illegally annexed Crimea.
It violated the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.
This was unacceptable when it happened, and it remains unacceptable today.
It is also seven years ago that Ukraine and the Netherlands were united by another tragedy: the downing of Flight MH17, in which 298 people were killed, innocent people.
Since that day, our two nations have stood side by side.
Pursuing truth, justice and accountability.
I am grateful for our strong cooperation. And we will continue to work together, along with our partners in the Joint Investigation Team.
We also work together within the UN General Assembly, where we helped initiate the annually recurring resolution on Crimea.
Because security, human rights and justice are bound together.
This is the essence of the Helsinki Accords.
And it remains the foundational principle of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
Russia has long proclaimed respect for the values of Helsinki.
For sovereignty and international law.
That is why the continuing violations of human rights and humanitarian law, the militarisation of Crimea, and the increasing tensions in the Black Sea are deeply troubling.
These must all come to an end.
Your Excellencies,
The Netherlands and the EU, like president Charles Michel and Vice President Dombrovkis have said, fully supports Ukraine, and refuses to recognise the illegal annexation of Crimea and its two million citizens, while acknowledging the large number of IDP’s.
We will continue to cooperate with you wherever possible: in trade, in diplomacy and in the pursuit of justice.
We hope that this Crimean Platform will be an important step on the road to de-occupation, stability and the rule of law.
We look forward to the return of the occupied territories to Ukraine, and the return of constitutional rights and freedoms to the people who live there.
Thank you and congratulations on your 30th anniversary.