Participants of the Crimean Platform, whose summit was held in Kyiv on Monday, August 24, welcome the necessary joint diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring the territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, according to a joint declaration of the participants of the international Crimean Platform.

"[Participants] emphasize that any change in the status of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol as an integral part of the sovereign territory of Ukraine is not and will not be recognized, and that Russia's attempts to legitimize the temporary occupation and illegal seizure are unacceptable," the declaration, published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on Monday, said.

The participants also confirm their determination to maintain pressure on Russia to end Russia's temporary occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol and restore Ukraine's control over this territory, welcome the creation of the National Office of the Crimean Platform by Ukraine, welcome the creation of the International Expert Network of the Crimean Platform, taking into account the support of its activities, and offer international and national non-governmental organizations, think tanks and the expert community to join the activities of this network.

The document also states that the participants of the Crimean Platform expect the return of the temporarily occupied territories of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to Ukraine and the restoration of their autonomous status, as provided by the Constitution of Ukraine, and declare their support for the inhabitants of this territory in the restoration of their rights and freedoms, enshrined in Constitution of Ukraine, and improving the socio-economic situation on the peninsula.

In addition, the participants of the Crimean Platform call on the Russian Federation to join constructive participation in the activities of the International Crimean Platform aimed at ending the temporary occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

The document states that the participants of the International Crimean Platform condemn the continuing violations and abuses and systemic unlawful restrictions on human rights and fundamental freedoms to which the inhabitants of Crimea are subjected, such as the right to peaceful assembly, the right to freedom of opinion and freedom of expression, religion or belief, the right to freedom of association, restrictions on the ability to seek, receive and impart information, as well as obstruction and intimidation that journalists, human rights defenders and lawyers.

The participants of the International Crimean Platform decided to create the International Crimean Platform as a consultative and coordinating format with a view to peacefully ending the temporary occupation by the Russian Federation of the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol and to restore Ukraine's control over this territory in full compliance with international law.

They also decided to continue implementing the policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation.

In addition, the declaration emphasizes that the participants of the Crimean Platform decided to consider the introduction of further political, diplomatic and restrictive measures against the Russian Federation, if this is provided for by the legal system of each participant of the Platform and in accordance with the relevant procedures, when necessary and if Russia's actions require it.

"[The participants of the International Crimean Platform decided] to confront new challenges and hybrid threats that are constantly changing, caused by the ongoing militarization of Crimea, and to support joint efforts to increase resilience to these threats in the context of growing threats to security and stability in the Black Sea region," the document says.