KYIV. Aug 13 (Interfax) - Forty states and international organizations have confirmed that they will participate in the inaugural summit of the Crimean Platform, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.
"I am pleased to say today that we have reached a round number. We have received 40 confirmations of participation in the Crimean Platform summit from states and international organizations," Kuleba said during a virtual briefing on Friday.
The Crimean Platform summit will adopt the Crimean Declaration, which states unable to attend the inaugural summit for whatever reason will be welcome to join in the future, he said.
"In fact, support for the Crimean Platform will be broader, and I have no doubt about its constant growth," Kuleba said.
On February 26, 2020, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered the establishment of an organizing committee to prepare for and hold the inaugural summit of the Crimean Platform in Ukraine on August 23, 2021.
It was reported later that Ukraine was developing the Crimean Platform as a key foreign political instrument for consolidation of international efforts toward the "de-occupation of Crimea" and the protection of the rights and interests of Ukrainian citizens.
Reports published on May 6, 2021 said that Zelensky had invited U.S. President Joe Biden to pay an official visit to Ukraine. For his part, Biden has backed Zelensky's Crimean Platform initiative and confirmed that the United States will be represented at the summit at the highest political level.
Zelensky and German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel exchanged visit invitations during a phone call on June 22.
Polish President Andrzej Duda is expected to attend the Crimean Platform summit in August.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell has said he will attend the Crimean Platform summit in Kyiv on August 23 together with European Council President Charles Michel.
The European Commission's spokesperson said on April 16 that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen would not visit Ukraine in August.