On March 10–11, a series of meetings took place in Berlin between Permanent Representative Olha Kuryshko and representatives of the German government and parliament. The key topics of discussion included the situation in temporarily occupied Crimea and the Black Sea, strengthening international support for Ukraine, the growing resistance movement on the peninsula, the development of the Global Coalition for Ukrainian Studies, and the need to counter Russian propaganda.
During a meeting with the German Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, Tobias Lindner, Olha Kuryshko emphasized the importance of increasing military assistance to Ukraine and countering Russian influence. She expressed gratitude to Germany for its steadfast support of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and active participation in the Crimea Platform summits.
“Germany is a strong partner of Ukraine in Europe, and we expect that support for Ukraine in all priority areas will continue to grow. This is a matter of our shared security and a strong, united Europe, where Germany plays one of the leading roles,” stated Olha Kuryshko.
In turn, Tobias Lindner reaffirmed the unwavering position of the German government on providing comprehensive support to Ukraine:
“What I can assure you of is that the new government will firmly stand by Ukraine. I can guarantee that our support will continue, and this is the most important message. Full support—diplomatic, humanitarian, and military. Everyone wants peace, and we want peace too, but we want a just and lasting peace. And for us, it is crucial not to forget about Crimea and the people living there,” emphasized the German Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
The following day, Olha Kuryshko met with Knut Abraham, a member of the Bundestag’s Foreign Affairs Committee. The discussion focused on resistance in Crimea and strengthening international support for its residents.
The Permanent Representative noted that the Russian occupation administration persecutes peninsula residents for any display of pro-Ukrainian sentiment—singing Ukrainian songs, wearing national symbols, or even posting comments on social media.
“The Russian occupation administration persecutes peninsula residents for any display of pro-Ukrainian sentiment—singing Ukrainian songs, wearing national symbols, or even posting comments on social media. There have already been 1,242 recorded cases of materials being submitted to occupation ‘courts’ for alleged ‘discrediting the Russian army,’” stated Olha Kuryshko.
Knut Abraham emphasized the importance of continuing to draw international attention to repression in Crimea:
“Speaking about resistance in Crimea at political and public meetings is extremely important. We do not know all the details of what is happening in the occupied territory, but every time Ukraine demonstrates strength and determination, resistance in Crimea grows. It is crucial for Europe to witness this struggle,” Knut Abraham stressed.
On March 11, Olha Kuryshko participated in the panel discussion Crimea: Peninsula of Fear, organized by the international human rights organization Society for Threatened Peoples. Alongside experts, she discussed the situation in temporarily occupied Crimea, including increasing repression, forced Russification, militarization of education, and environmental threats in the Black Sea.
During a meeting with Vice President of the Bundestag Katrin Göring-Eckardt, the Permanent Representative emphasized that “Crimea is a strategic foothold from which Russia launched its war against Ukraine. Its occupation in 2014 enabled a new offensive in 2022. The return of the peninsula is not only the key to Ukraine’s security but also to preserving its identity and the rights of its Indigenous peoples, particularly the Crimean Tatars.”
Olha Kuryshko expressed her gratitude to Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt for her active participation in the public mentorship program for Crimean political prisoners. In particular, she previously mentored Nariman Dzhelyal and now supports Vladyslav Yesypenko.