President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the nation, speaking about the absolute necessity of freeing Crimea and fighting for the rights and historical justice for indigenous peoples of our country.

"I wish health to all dear Ukrainians!

Today, much attention is paid to the topic of Crimea. And this is right. Because Crimea is Ukrainian, and we will never give it up.

We will not forget that Russia's war against Ukraine began with the occupation of Crimea.

Russia turned our peninsula, which has always been and will remain one of the best places in Europe, into one of the most dangerous places in Europe. Russia brought large-scale repression, environmental problems, economic deadlock, and war to Crimea. War.

Perhaps historians will someday determine how many people were killed due to Russia's use of Crimea for terror. Tens of thousands? Hundreds of thousands? From Ukraine and Georgia to Syria and beyond.

The presence of Russian occupiers in Crimea is a threat to all of Europe and global stability. It cannot be safe in the Black Sea region as long as Crimea is occupied. There will not be stable and lasting peace on the shores of the Mediterranean either, while Russia has the ability to use our peninsula as its military base.

This Russian war against Ukraine and all free Europe began with Crimea and must end with Crimea — its liberation. We cannot say today when this will happen. But we are constantly adding necessary components to the formula for liberating Crimea.

We launched the Crimean Platform — a key diplomatic initiative for working on Crimea's liberation. The Crimean Platform will continue this year. We are already preparing for this summit.

The topic of Crimea is heard at all international forums where Russia’s war against our country is discussed. The history of the global response to Russia's seizure of Crimea, more precisely — the lack thereof, now serves as one of the best arguments for strengthening sanctions against Russia. The world is beginning to recognize that it made a mistake in 2014 when it decided not to respond with full force to Russia’s first aggressive steps.

And, of course, we pay due attention to fighting for the rights and historical justice for indigenous peoples of Ukraine — the Crimean Tatar people, Karaims, and Krymchaks. Today, on International Day of Indigenous Peoples, we truly have something to say.

Last summer, a fundamental law on indigenous peoples of Ukraine was adopted. This law recognizes the rights of indigenous peoples and their representative bodies.

Ukraine is a multi-national state. Different national communities have lived and continue to live on our land for centuries. But most of them have their own experience of state-building outside of Ukraine. Our country, however, is home to the nations whose national cultures and aspirations were formed in Crimea. Therefore, when we work towards liberating the peninsula, we are also fighting for restoring territorial integrity of our state and returning a home to indigenous peoples of Ukraine. I believe that this will happen. I know that we will return to Ukrainian Crimea. And I am grateful to all our partners and international organizations that help us in this.

It is too early to announce all the details, but this year’s work of the Crimean Platform will be no less important and representative than last year's first summit in Kyiv. The format will be different, but its significance — even greater.

We are preparing new solutions for protecting and helping to realize rights of indigenous peoples of Ukraine. We are also preparing programs for economic recovery of our Crimea after it is freed from occupiers.

And the main thing — we support our Armed Forces of Ukraine, our intelligence services, and everyone who fights for liberating our land and repelling Russian colonial invasion.

From Kharkiv to Kherson, from Donetsk to Enerhodar, from Luhanskaya Stаница and to Yalta, from Berdyansk to Novofedorovka — all of this is part of our country, all of this is Ukraine that will be fully free.

I signed a new decree today on awarding our defenders. 182 participants in combat operations were awarded state awards. The total number of decorated Ukrainian soldiers already exceeds 26 thousand since the start of the war on February 24th.

I thank everyone who defends Ukraine!

Eternal glory to all those fighting for freedom!

Glory to Ukraine!»