MOSCOW, August 23. /TASS/. The Crimean Platform cannot be successful, because it is a stillborn initiative, the chairman of the State Duma's international affairs committee, Leonid Slutsky, said in his Telegram-channel on Monday.

"The Crimean Platform's meeting was not only fruitless (and it could not have been otherwise), but also a very dull and boring event. This was well seen in the expressions on the faces of participants - government ministers totally unrelated with the agenda and other Western officials, who by virtue of their job had to represent their countries and pronounce cliched speeches," Slutsky wrote.

He remarked that ahead of the gathering Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, "apparently aware of the futility of this undertaking," tried to forestall criticism, saying that the leaders of the Western countries would not come, because "they are afraid of Russia."

"Later, Zelensky decided to invite Russian officials to this anti-Russian get-together. Indeed, in attempts to mask a failure anything goes," he added.

Slutsky said that according to the meeting's declaration the Crimean Platform was positioned as an international consultative and coordinating mechanism. However, Slutsky predicts that this idea will turn out to be another "stillborn initiative."

"Crimea has become an integral part of Russia by the will of the peninsula's residents more than seven years ago. This is a hard fact. No place for further discussion," Slutsky concluded.

After the February 2014 government coup in Ukraine the authorities of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol held referendums on issue of reunification with Russia. The idea was supported by 96.7% and 95.6% respectively. On March 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty on the accession of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian Federation. The treaty was ratified by the Federal Assembly. In defiance of the unequivocal outcome of the plebiscite Kiev has refused to recognize Crimea as part of Russia.