Refat Chubarov, head of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis, said a delegation led by Crimean Tatar leader Mustafa Abdulcemil Kırımoğlu will visit Türkiye from April 17-19 to attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, as Ankara remains a key hub for the Crimean Tatar diaspora.
Speaking to reporters at the Embassy of Ukraine in Ankara on Tuesday, Chubarov said he arrived in Türkiye ahead of the delegation to hold preliminary meetings with Turkish officials and representatives of Crimean Tatar associations.
During his visit to Ankara, Chubarov is expected to meet senior figures including Fuat Oktay, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Kürşat Zorlu. He will also visit the Organization of Turkic Culture (TÜRKSOY) to discuss cultural and linguistic cooperation projects.
Chubarov said the delegation’s top priority is the situation of political prisoners in Crimea, noting that they will seek Türkiye’s support in efforts to secure their release. He added that strengthening ties with the large Crimean Tatar diaspora in Türkiye remains an important objective.
Highlighting the broader implications of the Russia-Ukraine war, Chubarov said a just peace could lead to major shifts in the international system.
He echoed remarks by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the need for reform in global governance, citing criticism that international institutions, including the United Nations, have failed to fulfill their responsibilities.
He also pointed to the potential for closer cooperation between Türkiye and Ukraine in regional security and postwar reconstruction efforts.
On recent developments in Ukraine, Chubarov welcomed a decree authorizing steps toward formally recognizing the Crimean Tatar Mejlis as the official representative body of the Crimean Tatar people.
He also stressed that the Mejlis should not be viewed as a civil society organization but as a legitimate political representative institution.
Chubarov said consultations between Ukrainian authorities and the Mejlis would continue, emphasizing that issues concerning Crimea and Crimean Tatars should not be discussed without their direct representation in negotiations.
He also noted that of the 351 political prisoners detained in Crimea since its annexation by Russia in 2014, 180 are Crimean Tatars, describing the situation as part of a broader effort to instill fear and suppress the community.
