Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Labib said that she sincerely regrets visiting the temporarily occupied Crimea in violation of Ukrainian legislation. Then she traveled to the island as a documentary filmmaker.
The head of the Belgian Foreign Ministry explained that in the temporarily occupied Crimea she was working on a project showing how artists lived under oppression. Moreover, she covered how Russia used culture for propaganda purposes.
Belgian Foreign Minister said she regretted her visit to Crimea
During a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, the Belgian Foreign Minister explained that in 2021, as a journalist and documentary filmmaker, she visited Sevastopol in Crimea in violation of Ukrainian law.
She sincerely regrets that this visit took place in such circumstances. Minister Labib has always defended the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, as well as the status of Crimea as an integral part of Ukraine,” our Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Khadzha Labib explained that in the territory of the temporarily occupied Crimea, she, as a documentary filmmaker, embodied a project that demonstrated:
- how Russia used culture as power and propaganda;
- how artists could live under oppression in such a difficult historical period.
The minister also assured that she supports the Ukrainian people, and Belgium is ready to contribute to the restoration of peace and the restoration of Ukraine.
The Belgian Foreign Minister recalled that Belgium recently allocated 8 million euros to Ukraine for non-lethal assistance for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“The ministers agreed to hold their next meeting at the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly in New York to discuss bilateral projects in Ukraine,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.
Briefly about the visit of the Belgian Foreign Minister to Crimea
- In 2021, Aja Labib visited the occupied Crimea and said that she was in Russia.
- It should be remembered that it is possible to enter the territory of the occupied Crimea only from the mainland of Ukraine. Entry to the peninsula in other directions is illegal even for foreigners.
- Ukrainian diplomats in July 2022 said that they would already resolve the issue with the Belgian side.
- The representative of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry explained that they were in dialogue with the Belgian side on this issue through diplomatic channels in order to establish all the circumstances of the trip and make decisions on further bilateral contacts.
