Kyiv's plans for conference on Crimea
Ukraine is planning an international summit on 23 August to raise awareness about the future of annexed Crimea and the conflict in the Donbass. In the national media, commentators applaud the idea of the Crimea Platform, as the summit is called, but some voice scepticism about its design.
At last a suitable format
The initiative is long overdue, writes Yevheniya Kravchuk, MP for the ruling party Servant of the People, in ukraina24:
“While there are certain formats for the negotiations on Donbass, it's surely possible to argue about Crimea, however there is no format in which one can talk about the issue of the deoccupation of the peninsula at different levels. The Crimea Platform will make it possible to negotiate at the level of foreign ministers, heads of state and government, at the inter-parliamentary level and at the expert level. ... Of course, Russia would prefer to ignore this for fear of sanctions over its annexation of Crimea and the accompanying economic problems.”
A good idea but poorly implemented
Hromadske Radio quotes political strategist Katerina Odarchenko, who criticises the conference organisers for scheduling the Crimean Platform and a diplomatic reception complete with first ladies and gentlemen on the same day:
“Combining these summits on one day is inappropriate. The First Summit is more of a cultural event, and the Crimea Platform is about a tough stance towards the Russian Federation. Neither the first ladies nor the first gentlemen will participate, that is not their function. It would have been better to invite the defence ministers of the countries to the Crimea Platform summit, not their presidents and wives.”