5th Summit of the International Crimea Platform
UNGA80 High Level Week
Statement by H.E. Mr. Alar Karis, President of Estonia
24 September 2025, New York
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you, President Zelenskyy, for the invitation to this Summit.
This year marks 85 years since the Welles Declaration, when the United States took a principled stand by refusing to recognize the Soviet occupation of three sovereign Baltic States.
That steadfast commitment to international law and justice gave hope to my nation and reaffirmed the principle that aggression cannot erase sovereignty.
The same principle must guide us today – as Russia wages its brutal war of aggression against Ukraine, occupying one fifth of its territory and continuing the illegal annexation of Crimea. We must remain unwavering in non-recognition, just as the free world once stood firm for the Baltic nations.
We condemn systematic human rights violations by Russia against civilians, including the indigenous peoples – Crimean Tatars, who suffer the most under the occupation of Crimea and the war of aggression against Ukraine, and who resist oppression while standing for independent media and information.
Russian-appointed illegitimate courts have already convicted over 50 people this year for acts that The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) assessed as constituting legitimate exercises of their freedom of expression.
We also celebrate the 80th anniversary of the United Nations – an institution born from the resolve to prevent war and to safeguard peace. Its founding principles underscore us that borders cannot be changed by force, and that sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable.
Guided by this spirit, we welcome the adoption of the New York Declaration and renew our collective resolve to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine – and across the globe.
Estonia will support Ukraine for as long as it takes – until you win this war with a just and lasting peace; until you restore Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
As President Lennart Meri once said, “Freedom is not something that can be taken for granted – it must be defended, nourished, and shared.”
Today, your fight for freedom is also our fight. Thank you.