Zelenskyi approves de-occupation and reintegration strategy for Crimea

The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi issued a decree enacting the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine of March 11, 2021, "On the Strategy of De-occupation and Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol."

The Office of the President reports.

This document defines a set of diplomatic, military, economic, informational, humanitarian, and other measures aimed at restoring the territorial integrity, state sovereignty of Ukraine within internationally recognized borders through the de-occupation and reintegration of Crimea.

The strategy identifies priorities for the state to protect human rights and freedoms violated by the temporary occupation of the Crimean peninsula, and the main directions of relevant economic, social, humanitarian, environmental, information, defense, and security policy.

The Strategy also sends a clear signal to the international community that Ukraine is consistent in its actions to restore the territorial integrity violated by the Russian Federation's disregard for its international obligations.

According to the Strategy, within the state policy on de-occupation of Crimea's territory, Ukraine initiates an international negotiation process to determine the modalities of liberating the temporarily occupied territory and restore the constitutional order of Ukraine, based on the provisions of the Memorandum of Security connected with Ukraine joining the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and on the results of the Crimean Platform.

"Ukraine establishes and develops the Crimean Platform as a key foreign policy tool for consolidating international efforts aimed at de-occupying and restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity, overcoming the consequences of the temporary occupation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation, and protecting the rights and interests of Ukrainian citizens," the Strategy reads.

The document also calls for a jointed international effort to protect international law and build peace and security in Europe.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine should develop a plan for implementing the Strategy for De-occupation and Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Crimea, based on which the relevant state bodies will prepare and implement measures to ensure the de-occupation and reintegration of the peninsula.