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The European Unionwill never recognise the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen yesterday told theonline Summit of theCrimea Platform.

She said the annexation of Crimea in 2014marked the beginning of Putins deplorable attempt to deny Ukraine its freedom, and thatCrimea hassince then been used,not only as a Russian military base, but also as a testing ground for the brutal methods Russia is now applying across the other occupied parts of Ukraine.

We are deeply concerned about the human rights violations in the Crimean peninsula. The disappearances, the torture, the killings. The persecution of Crimean Tartars. The intimidation and incarceration of journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders,the European Commission President said, adding,the European Union will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.

Addressing the same meeting, European Council President Charles Michel saidRussia hadsince February been usingCrimea as a strategic springboard to invade other parts of Ukraine from the south and to attack Ukraine with indiscriminate missile strikes. Russia is also using the peninsula as a transit point to deport Ukrainian citizens to infamous filtration camps, where acts of torture and abuse have been reported, he added.

The EU is right by your side in these dramatic times, and we will stay there for as long as it takes. I call on all countries around the world to clearly condemn Russias illegal actions. Ukraines full territorial integrity, within its internationally recognised borders, must be restored. Crimea is Ukraine,said Michel.

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Ursula von der Leyen speech

Charles Michel speech

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EU will never recognise illegal annexation of Crimea - EU NEIGHBOURS east - euneighbourseast.eu