EU representatives have stressed the consistency of Brussels' policies when it comes to non-recognition and sanctions, as well as the fact that the incoming reports on violations are always analyzed.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has drawn the European Union's attention to a number of European companies doing business in the occupied Crimea.
The 8th round of regular informal EU-Ukraine talks on the legal implications of the unlawful occupation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol was held on December 14, 2020, in video conference format, the ministry's press service reports.
The talks were held at the level of the highest officials of Ukraine's ministries and departments, the European External Action Service, and the European Commission.
The sides exchanged thoughts on a whole spectrum of the continued occupation of the peninsula by Russia in breach of international law, including rights violations, security situation in Crimea and around it, destruction of cultural heritage and reserves by the occupation forces, illegal mining, etc.
Also, the parties discussed the current state of affairs in the area of the EU non-recognition policy of the unlawful annexation attempt by Russia – compared with the situation reported prior to the previous round of consultations.
Read alsoUNGA backs updated resolution on Russia-occupied Crimea
Representatives of the European Commission have stressed the consistency of Brussels' policies when it comes to the non-recognition and sanctions, as well as the fact that the incoming reports on the violations are always analyzed.
Both sides paid special attention to considering cases of human rights violations by the Russian occupation administration.
Attention was drawn to the persecution of citizens on ethnic, religious, and political grounds, which led to the imprisonment of over a hundred Ukrainian citizens, mostly Crimean Tatars. Among topics discussed was also the one on children being deprived of the right to study in native Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar languages, the altering of the demographic situation, the lack of public access to reliable information sources, etc.
In this regard, Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova welcomed the establishment of the new EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime and expressed hope that the practical implementation of this mechanism would help hold accountable all those responsible for mass human rights violations in the occupied Crimea.
While discussing the increasing militarization of the occupied peninsula, the Ukrainian side elaborated on Russia's actions in the context of arms supplies, deployment of nuclear-capable missiles, military personnel, and seizure of former nuclear arms depots. Massive militarization of the peninsula increases military threats for the region of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, as well as for the Mediterranean, it was emphasized.
Read alsoOmbudsperson condemns sentencing of Islyamov in Russian-occupied Crimea
"The European Union will never recognize the unlawful annexation of the Crimean Peninsula by the Russian Federation and will remain devoted to implementing its non-recognition policy, established in 2014," it was noted during consultations.
Crimean Platform to end Russian occupation of the peninsula