The plenary session focused on security issues in the face of the recent escalation of the conflict in Donbas and the build-up of the Russian Federation’s armed forces on Ukraine’s eastern border. Other major topics included the development of the Crimean Platform format that Ukraine intends to use as an additional instrument of its cooperation with the international community for non-recognition of the annexation of Crimea and Russia’s violations of international law and human rights on this territory, as well as de-occupation of the Crimean Peninsula. Deputy Minister Przydacz assured his interlocutor of Poland’s support for this initiative and added that the Platform can be a useful tool to keep the illegal annexation of Crimea and its intensive militarisation by Russia high on the international agenda.

The diplomats also talked about challenges faced by the OSCE mission in Ukraine, in the context of the upcoming Polish chairmanship of the Organisation in 2022.

As part of the Crimean Platform, Ukraine plans to organise a special summit of heads of state and government on 23 August 2021. Polish President Andrzej Duda has already confirmed he will attend the event.

The consultations also covered key bilateral problems. “The status of schools with Polish as the language of instruction in Ukraine should be guaranteed by an intergovernmental agreement,” stressed Deputy Minister Marcin Przydacz. He also recalled the importance of settling difficult historical issues, particularly facilitating the resumption of search and exhumation works in Ukraine.

Moreover, the ministers discussed prospects for the development of the Lublin Triangle initiative in the context of subsequent meetings of this format that are planned to be held this year at various levels.

 

MFA Press Office

Photo: Tymon Markowski / MFA