Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hosted the nation’s Muslim minority Crimean Tatar group for an official state iftar (fast-breaking dinner) for the primary time on Friday, as he criticized Russia’s remedy within the peninsula.
Russia wrested management of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and pushed by means of a referendum on the annexation that was condemned as fraudulent and illegitimate by Ukraine and its Western allies.
“Russia’s attempt to enslave Ukraine … began exactly with the occupation of Crimea, exactly with repressions against Crimean, Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar freedom and of Crimean Muslims,” he advised Ukrainian Muslim leaders and ambassadors from Muslim international locations.
The Tatar group, which accounted for 12-15% of the 2 million Crimea residents, largely boycotted the 2014 vote.
Moscow then banned the Mejlis — the normal meeting of the Tatar Muslim minority in Crimea — declaring it an extremist group and has jailed members of the group since, citing safety issues.
“There is no alternative for Ukraine, or for the world, other than the de-occupation of Crimea. We will return to Crimea,” Zelenskyy stated, earlier than handing out awards to a number of Muslim Ukrainian servicemen.
Zelenskyy, talking at a mosque exterior the middle of the capital, introduced that Ukraine was starting a brand new custom of internet hosting an official iftar, the meal breaking the day by day quick in the course of the holy month of Ramadan.
“Ukraine is grateful to the Muslims of our country and to everyone in the Muslim community of the world who, like us, longs for peace and protection from evil,” he added.
Several Muslim-majority international locations, together with Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, have positioned themselves as mediators within the battle in Ukraine, brokering agreements between Kyiv and Moscow on grain exports or prisoner exchanges.
Russia has a big Muslim minority from southern areas, together with Chechnya and Dagestan, a lot of whom are combating for Moscow in Ukraine.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
