Georgian, Ukrainian Presidents open investment forum in Batumi

Georgian and Ukrainian presidents have addressed participants of an investment forum in the Georgian seaside town of Batumi today.

Addressing the participants of the forum in Georgian, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said his visit to Georgia has proved how close Georgians and Ukrainians are. He said "these two days have been the brightest in my life”.

Сподіваюсь, що сьогоднішній інвестиційний форум сприятиме реалізації взаємовигідних для України та Грузії проектів pic.twitter.com/1v7lk1lw5T

— Петро Порошенко (@poroshenko) July 19, 2017

Calling Georgia and Ukraine "the two leaders of the Eastern Partnership (EaP)”, Poroshenko said "we did not only receive the proof of cooperation between our countries, presidents, [and] governments, but also the proof of our strategic cooperation”.

We have carried out a number of reforms and have radically changed our countries, Ukrainian and Georgian citizens have received visa-free travel opportunity [with the European Union/Schengen Zone] but I would like to ask you not to simplify the meaning of visa-free travel – this is not only an opportunity for Ukrainian and Georgian citizens to cross their lands with biometric passports, but it’s rather a farewell with the Soviet Union and the Russian empire and our return to the European family”, President Poroshenko said.

Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili said this day "is an emotional illustration” of the joint vision Georgia and Ukraine are sharing about the future.

Georgia and Ukraine are both clearly European oriented countries in terms of business. The both countries have signed Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) [with the European Union], both countries have visa-free regimes with the Schengen Zone. It means that Georgia and Ukraine have clear and interesting environment”, Margvelashvili said.

The two presidents discussed Georgia’s tourism potential and encouraging the participants of the forum to better familiarise with the country and its seaside region of Adjara.

Within the investment forum, business organisations participating in the forum had an opportunity to exchange ideas and share experience in various directions. An agreement was signed between the officials of the Georgian region of Adjara and Ukraine’s region of Odessa on deepening further cooperation in 2017-2019.

• Poroshenko: "I feel home in Georgia”

Ukrainian President arrived to Georgia on Monday. Up to now he has met with the Georgian officials and visited different parts of Georgia including the occupation line between Georgia and its Russian occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia

.