The inaugural forum of the Crimean Platform expert network has kicked off in Kyiv on Friday, August 6. The opening speech of the event was delivered by First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzheppar, explaining that the Crimean Platform provided for the development of a strategic vision of putting an end to the occupation of Crimea by Russia, being set to consolidate international resources toward the liberation of the peninsula. Outlining the tasks of the Crimean Platform, Dzheppar noted: “This is a strategic vision. We found it when we adopted as a state the strategy of de-occupation and reintegration of Crimea. Now our efforts are aimed at consolidating international resources, international attention, as well as national attention, and we sincerely believe that this is the only approach that can result in synergies. The diplomat said that a representative would be delegated to the Crimean Platform summit who would voice the ideas shaped by the expert network. Civil society activists will also speak at the summit, the official stressed. Crimean PlatformThe Crimean Platform is a new consultative and coordination format initiated by Ukraine to improve the international response to the occupation of Crimea and growing security challenges.The Platform aims to increase international pressure on Russia, prevent further human rights violations, protect victims of the occupation regime, and achieve the goal of de-occupation of Crimea and its return to Ukraine.The Crimean Platform will operate at several levels: The first is the highest political level, which will be joined by foreign heads of state and government. The second is the level of heads of foreign policy departments and defence ministers; the third is the inter-parliamentary level; the fourth is the level of non-governmental experts.The activities of the Crimean Platform will be officially launched at the inaugural summit which is planned to be held in Kyiv in August 23, 2021.