The “Ongoing support for Crimea Platform stakeholders” project is being undertaken by East Europe Foundation with the support of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) between December 2021 and February 2022.

Its purpose is to strengthen the Government of Ukraine and CSOs that are part of the Crimea Platform Expert Network (CPEN), and to provide them with a structured approach to Crimean reintegration, since reintegrating the temporarily occupied territory and the peace process were declared among the priorities of the Office of the President after Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s election in 2019

The Crimea Platform is a new consultation and coordination format initiated by Ukraine with the purpose of raising the effectiveness of the international response to the ongoing occupation of Crimea and increasing international pressure on Russia. The main goal is deoccupying Crimea and returning the complete sovereignty of Ukraine over the peninsula.

Although the Crimea Platform is coordinated by several state agencies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains one of the key actors at both the national and international levels.

The East Europe Foundation is recognized as a key partner, having enormous experience working with a wide range of stakeholder groups, including community organizations, state agencies, donor organizations, and so on. In summer 2021, prior to the Crimea Platform Summit, the EEF and Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed a Memorandum of Understanding that defines the objectives of developing the Crimea Platform Expert Network and the support of the MFA.

In fall 2021, the Foundation also signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Representation of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, which also operates as the national office of the Crimea Platform. The purpose is to ensure the ongoing work of the CPEN and the attainment of other goals in the Joint Declaration by Participants in the International Crimea Platform.

This project is part of the Ukraine Confidence-Building Initiative and is intended to foster the implementation of SO 1.3 “Strengthening the reintegration efforts of the Government of Ukraine.” It is also part of a larger program initiated by the East Europe Foundation to provide systemic support for the Crimea Platform Expert Network, in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Building the capacity of the Crimea Platform Expert Network (CPEN)

The East Europe Foundation is planning two strategic sessions for the CPEN. The first one’s objective is to establish institutional development goals and to define the CPEN mission and vision. The objective of the second, which will involve the MFA and the Representation of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea/Office of the Crimea Platform, is to formulate a concept of cooperation with CPEN stakeholders and to take advantage of the Network’s analytical capacities. Based on the results of these two sessions, recommendations will be drafted regarding the CPEN’s institutional development, a legal analysis undertaken of possible approaches to legally registering the Network or its Secretariat, and various models of institutional development for CPEN presented.

Informational support for the Crimea Platform and its Expert Network (CPEN)

The East Europe Foundation will hold two public events. The first will be a coordinating council for potential donors of the Crimea Platform, which will include representatives of embassies, international and other organizations. The purpose of the second event will be to present the activities of CPEN and its plans for 2022.

The Foundation will also update the Crimea Platform website, adding information about its Expert Network and functional add-ons to provide information about CPEN activities for a broad audience of Ukrainian and foreign interest groups.

Also as part of this project, support will be provided for the Crimea Platform’s online resources, such its official website, Facebook page, and Telegram channel. This activity will include, among others, daily updates of web resources with current news, releases and graphic information.