Today, the European Union and Ukraine held in Brussels the tenth round of discussions at senior officials’ level on the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol. These discussions were launched in 2015 with the aim to coordinate efforts and have regular exchanges on the implementation of the EU's non-recognition policy towards the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol.

The EU and Ukraine exchanged views on the impact of the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol, including subsequent restrictive measures imposed by the EU in response to Russia’s violation of international law. They both stressed the importance of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. Ukraine informed about the activities of the “International Crimea Platform”, including the second Summit held in Kyiv on 23 August 2022, as well as on the first Inter-Parliamentary Summit organised in Zagreb, on 24-25 October 2022. The EU reaffirmed its support to the implementation to the commitments taken within the Joint Declarations of the two International Crimea Platform Summits.

The Ukrainian side also informed on the consequences induced on the illegally annexed Crimea and Sevastopol by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The severe deterioration of the human rights situation on the peninsula was underlined, with international organisations and human rights defenders still being denied access and residents of Crimea facing increased persecution for voicing their views of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Both sides also exchanged views on the security situation and the growing militarisation of the peninsula by, highlighting that Crimea is being used as a springboard for launching attacks against the rest of Ukraine’s sovereign territory.  

The EU does not and will not recognise the illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula by the Russian Federation. It equally reiterates its strong condemnation of Russia’s attempted illegal annexation of other Ukrainian territories. Crimea, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk are Ukraine.