Ukraine requested an explanation from Ankara on the visit of a "delegation" from the Russian-occupied Crimean city of Yalta to an international meeting of local authorities' organization hosted in Turkey, the Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Oleh Nikolenko said on Nov. 1.
Representatives of the Russian occupation authorities in Yalta have arrived in Turkey to take part in the United Cities and Local Governments organization's meeting, Russian media reported on Nov. 1
The "delegation" also announced plans to sign a twin-cities agreement with Istanbul's municipal district of Beylikduzu.
"We take this matter extremely seriously. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry already requested an official explanation from the Turkish side regarding the visit," Nikolenko wrote on social media.
Alisa Sobolieva
The spokesperson emphasized that according to international law, Crimea remains a Ukrainian territory under Russian occupation. The UN General Assembly requires all members to refrain from actions that would call the peninsula's status in question, including contacts with occupation authorities, he added.
"We expect that the Turkish authorities, which support the territorial integrity of Ukraine, will respond appropriately to the Russian provocation and will not allow this to repeat in the future."
Ankara said repeatedly that it does not recognize Russia's illegal occupation of the peninsula and affirmed support for Ukraine's territorial integrity.
Russia occupied Crimea in 2014 after the EuroMaidan Revolution ousted the pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.
Sofiya Doig
