President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi declares that Russia’s war against Ukraine and all of free Europe began with Crimea and must end with the liberation of Crimea, claiming that the presence of Russian occupiers on the peninsula is a threat to all of Europe and global stability.

“The world is beginning to recognize that it made a mistake in 2014 when it decided not to respond with full force to Russia’s first aggressive steps,” Zelenskyy said, calling for new sanctions against Russia.

“We will not forget that Russia’s war against Ukraine began with the occupation of Crimea. Russia has turned our peninsula, which was and always will be one of the best places in Europe, into one of the most dangerous places in Europe. Russia brought massive repression, environmental problems, economic despair and war to Crimea. (…) The presence of Russian occupiers in Crimea is a threat to all of Europe and global stability. The Black Sea region cannot be safe while Crimea is occupied. There will be no stable and lasting peace in many countries on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea as long as Russia can use our peninsula as a military base,” said Zelensky, quoted by News.ro.

“This Russian war against Ukraine and against all of free Europe began with Crimea and must end with Crimea – its liberation. Today it is impossible to say when this will happen. But we are constantly adding the necessary ingredients to the formula for the liberation of Crimea,” he added.

The President of Ukraine announced the launch of the Crimean Platform, a key diplomatic platform for the liberation of Crimea.

“The Crimean platform will be operational again this year. We are already preparing for this summit,” he said.

The President of Ukraine stated that the topic of Crimea is on all international platforms where Russia’s war against his country is discussed.

“The history of the global response to Russia’s occupation of Crimea, or rather the lack of such a response, is now one of the best arguments for strengthening sanctions against Russia. The world is beginning to recognize that it made a mistake in 2014, when it decided not to respond with full force to Russia’s first aggressive steps,” the Kyiv leader believes.

Three local witnesses told Reuters on Tuesday that they heard several loud explosions and saw black smoke rising from the Russian military air base in Novofedorivka in western Crimea.