Zelensky: Crimea liberation key to Ukraine's security and territorial integrity

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine's full return to normal life after the war is impossible without the liberation of Crimea, linking the peninsula's fate to security, prisoner release, and territorial integrity. Speaking at the sixth summit of the International Crimea Platform, Zelensky said Russia's 2014 entry into Crimea marked the start of broader violations of international rules. He stressed that restoring security, protecting lives, and freeing prisoners held by Russia are essential conditions. Zelensky also called for Russia to be held accountable for starting the war and seizing sovereign territories, emphasizing that territorial integrity matters and that Ukraine expects responsibility for actions leading to the conflict.