At the conclusion of the Third Parliamentary Summit of the International Crimea Platform, an expert discussion on Russia’s accountability and the war’s impact on European security will take place on Thursday, 24 October.

The expert discussion will be inaugurated by Daiga Mieriņa, Speaker of the Saeima, and Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

During the first panel, experts will explore the prosecution of Russia, focusing on the need for effective international mechanisms. This includes the establishment of an international tribunal to hold the aggressor accountable for war crimes and to ensure justice for the victims. Among the topics discussed, participants will emphasise the role of democratic states and international organisations in upholding the rule of law. The second panel will be dedicated to analysing Ukraine’s lessons learned from the conflict and how these can be applied by countries facing security challenges caused by Russia, including hybrid threats.

The discussion will be attended by Nariman Dzhelyal, First Deputy Chairman of the Crimean Tatar People’s Majlis, who was released during a prisoner exchange in June of this year; Dmytro Lubinets, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Parliament of Ukraine; Viktor Kevliuk, Ukrainian military expert and reserve Colonel; Jānis Kažociņš, former National Security Advisor to the President of Latvia; Kristīne Līce, Adviser to the President of Latvia on Legislation and International Law, among others.

The expert discussion is organised by the Crimean Human Rights Group, the Latvian Institute of International Affairs, and the Latvian Platform for Development Cooperation. It will take place on Thursday, 24th October, at the Radisson Blu Latvija Hotel, Elizabetes iela 55, Riga, from 15:00 to 18:00. Those interested may follow the event live via the Summit website, www.crimea-platform-riga.lv, or on the Parliament’s YouTube channel.

The hosting of the International Crimea Platform Parliamentary Summit in Riga is part of Latvia’s comprehensive support to Ukraine and a contribution to strengthening the rules-based international order. The Summit is organised in close cooperation with the Verkhovna Rada, the Parliament of Ukraine and it will bring together delegations from approximately  40 countries around the world.

The International Crimea Platform was established in 2021 as a format for coordination and consultation at the level of states and governments, parliaments, foreign ministers, and experts. It was established to raise awareness among world leaders and the wider public of the temporary occupation and annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, its negative impact on the human rights of local populations, security in the Black Sea region, global food security, and the rules-based global order. Previous Crimean Platform Parliamentary Summits have been held in Zagreb and Prague.

For media consideration:
Media accreditation is required to access the events of the Summit.