We, the participants of the 4th Yalta International Economic Forum, gathered from different countries of Europe for the meeting devoted to: RUSSIA AND THE EU - MECHANISMS OF OVERCOMING THE CRISIS in Yalta. Here, in 1945, the leaders of world powers formed the solid foundation of the postwar world order. We address the European public, political and business circles with an appeal.

1. In the face of a military conflict, placing the stakes on the policy "from the position of strength”, the authorities of the United States and some European countries ignore the instructive experience of postwar international relations. In these conditions, the role of peaceloving forces and public diplomacy as an important factor in establishing the constructive dialogue in the interests of overcoming the confrontation, reaching an agreement and ensuring the mutual understanding between states and peoples, as well as initiating a thorough negotiating process about the destinies of the world, is growing as never before.

In this regard, we appeal to all sensible and pragmatic European politicians, parliamentarians, representatives of public organizations and business circles to take urgent measures to ensure peace and security, eliminate the causes of armed conflicts and sanctions in Europe and other parts of the world, stop trampling on the rights of peoples and stop the information aggression.

2. We urge all European political parties, religious and public institutions, as well as business associations to make vigorous efforts to establish a constructive dialogue with Russia. We are convinced that the geographical location, as well as the resource and technological complementarity, have made the EU and Russia the most important political and trade partners, which can not be replaced in the foreseeable historical perspective. It is necessary to stop the dangerous spiral of sanctions, which has a negative impact on the prospects for the international cooperation, especially in such important areas as energy security, including gas and oil supplies and transit, international finance, trade in goods and services, technology exchange, investment, transport and freedom of movement and travel of citizens.

3. We consider the results of the Crimean status referendum 2014 as legitimate and corresponding to the international legal regulations. We draw your attention to the fact that the anti-Russian and anti-Crimean sanctions unilaterally adopted by the United States of America, the EU and Ukraine in circumvention of the UN Security Council, as well as the methods of economic pressure limit and destroy the cultural, social, economic and human rights of people and centuries-old friendly ties between peoples.

It is obvious that today the sanctions regime and the policy of confrontation have led the world into a dead end and threaten European security and cooperation.

We welcome the constructive initiatives of political and public instituitions and business structures aimed at giving new impetus to our common efforts to restore mutually beneficial political and economic ties, consolidate peaceloving forces and form harmonious relations with Russia, including with the Crimea, in various fields. This is one of the necessary conditions for establishing a more democratic and equitable world order.

We call on the parliaments and peoples of Europe to take decisive action in favor of preserving the peace and restoring the cooperation!

April 19, 2018, Yalta, the Republic of Crimea