Presidency of the Republic of Moldova
Dear President Zelenskyy, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you for this invitation to speak at this important event - the founding of the ”Crimea Platform”. I am here to reaffirm Moldova’s unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. Crimea is Ukraine, and its illegal annexation is a blatant violation of international law. Moldova has been and will continue to be your reliable, trusted partner. We support Resolution 68/262 “Territorial Integrity of Ukraine” of the United Nations General Assembly, as well as its subsequent resolutions.
Moldova is a state committed to peace and peaceful, diplomatic solutions. As a country, we have always depended on rules-based regional security order. This order has been under siege for some time now. It is a threat to everyone’s security when rules inscribed in the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Helsinki Final Act, the Paris Charter for a New Europe and other fundamental provisions of international law are undermined. Rules-based international order, not the raw use of force, is the only foundation on which a peaceful and prosperous region can be built in the interests of everyone.
Looking back through the ages into a distant past is not a good guiding light into the future. The future is not coercion. It is not arms-twisting. The future is cooperation, respect for human rights and economic development for everyone. These are the principles that my country firmly believes in. Similarly, in a region fraught with insecurity and instability, where norms of behavior are falling like dominoes, states must follow a set of fundamental rules which guide relations between them and underpin a regional order. For Moldova, it is more important than ever to reaffirm the principles of international law, order, justice and peaceful resolution of disputes.
We cannot allow historical grievances, revisionist policies, undisguised use of force and disregard for human rights to become the new normal. We all need to return to peaceful, political resolution of disputes.. We need to jointly counter threats to regional security. We all need to chart a different path - one that is constructive and sustainable.
Thank you once again for the invitation to speak at the opening of the ”Crimea Platform”, to which Moldova is firmly committed.
