Former Lithuanian FM Linkevicius: Ukraine, Georgia must receive NATO MAP after recent tension at Ukrainian border
Former Foreign and Defence Minister of Lithuania Linas Linkevicius says that Ukraine and Georgia must receive clear confirmation for NATO membership opportunities. Photo: Juliaus Kalinsko / 15min nuotr.
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Former Foreign and Defence Minister of Lithuania Linas Linkevicius says that after the recent escalation of the situation at Donbass, Ukraine by Russia, Georgia and Ukraine must receive the NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP).
#Russia just announced another ‘insight’ that #Ukraine had exacerbated situation in Donbass to get #NATO Membership Action Plan. After all these #Kremlin ‘maneuvers’, both #Ukraine and #Georgia must receive MAP and clear confirmation of #NATO membership perspective.
— Linas Linkevicius (@LinkeviciusL) April 23, 2021
After several weeks of tension over a build-up of Russian troops near Ukraine's border, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has ordered the return of units back to their bases.
#Russia orders troops withdrawal because ‘goals of the snap check fulfilled.’Lessons hit the price. #US Senate committee approved 300 mln USD military aid to #Ukraine, #NATO definitely will increase presence in the Black sea. Let’s keep the pace or think twice before doing again
— Linas Linkevicius (@LinkeviciusL) April 23, 2021
Shoigu said that the aims of the ‘snap checks’ had been achieved.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who earlier challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet him in the conflict zone, welcomed the decision to ‘de-escalate’ the situation at the border.
Georgia has expressed concerns over Russian troop movements near the eastern Donbass region where Ukrainian troops are in conflict with Russian-backed forces.Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani held a phone conversation with his Ukrainian colleague amid Ukraine's standoff over a Russian troop buildup near its border.
Georgian and Ukrainian Ministers of Foreign Affairs Davit Zalkaliani and Dmytro Kuleba have met today as part of the Romania-Poland-Turkey trilateral ministerial that is taking place in the Romanian capital of Bucharest on April 22-24.
Georgian Ambassador to Ukraine Teimuraz Sharashenidze returned to Ukraine earlier this week, amid tension at Ukrainian borders and met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and his deputy Vasyl Bodnar in Kyiv yesterday, the Georgian Foreign Ministry has reported. Sharashenidze was recalled to Tbilisi in May 2020 after former President Mikheil Saakashvili became the chair of the Executive Committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council.
During a telephone conversation with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has expressed concern over the situation on the Russia-Ukraine border and Crimea.
The Romanian, Polish and Turkish FMs have stated in Bucharest earlier today that they support the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Ukraine and Georgia and reaffirmed their support for sovereignty and territorial integrity of the two countries.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis has visited the administrative boundary line (ABL) by the Russia-occupied Georgian region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) with the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) today.
"It is important that all political parties and elected members of parliament join the efforts to the immediate implementation of the agreement”, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielus Landsbergis said during a press conference today.