Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova boost partnership for EU integration
Georgian, Ukrainian and Moldovan foreign ministers have signed a memorandum of cooperation on EU integration issues. Photo: Georgian MFA press office.
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Georgian, Ukrainian and Moldovan foreign ministers signed an agreement earlier today in Kyiv to further strengthen cooperation for common European goals and EU membership.
According to the document a new format of cooperation, the Associated Trio, has been founded which will help the countries rapidly integrate into the EU.
The Associated Trio Format has been launched! ????????????????????????????????
— David Zalkaliani (@DZalkaliani) May 17, 2021
Congratulations dear colleagues @Dmytrokuleba & @AureliuCiocoi. Together to the European future ✊! pic.twitter.com/5PppeJc7Mm
The Associated Trio will work together on common interests for European integration, including the implementation of Association Agreements with the EU and the further development of the EU’s Eastern Partnership initiative. Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova will work together to strengthen political and economic dialogue and sectoral integration with the EU,” the Georgian Foreign Ministry has reported.
???????????????????????? FMs have signed t/Trilateral Memorandum of Understanding on European Integration Matters - A3. T/document is a huge achievement & is to widen t/opportunities for 3 associated countries on t/path, leading to t/????????. #StrongerTogether @DZalkaliani @DmytroKuleba @AureliuCiocoi pic.twitter.com/YR6wKTqq6d
— MFA of Georgia (@MFAgovge) May 17, 2021
The ministry says that the countries will also take steps to boost cooperation with the EU on security and defense issues.
The memorandum also says that the three countries will move forward to ensure the EU’s greater involvement in the peaceful settlement of conflicts.
Georgian, Ukrainian and Moldovan foreign ministers have sent a joint letter to EU officials in which they requested deeper cooperation between their countries and the EU.
Earlier today Georgian, Ukrainian and Moldovan Foreign Ministers David Zalkaliani, Dmytro Kuleba and Aureliu Ciocoi have pledged to strengthen cooperation on the path to EU integration at a virtual meeting ahead of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) summit.
The European Commission has put forward a proposal for the long-term policy objectives of the Eastern Partnership beyond 2020 to increase trade, strengthen connectivity and deepen the economic integration with Eastern Partnership countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his official visit to Kiev. During the meeting Zalkaliani and Zelensky spoke of strategic partnership between Georgia and Ukraine and pledged to enhance bilateral dialogue as well as cooperation on the path to Euro-Atlantic integration.
Georgia joined celebrations of Europe Day on Sunday, an annual date celebrating peace and cooperation across the continent, with landmarks across the country illuminated with European Union colours and messages recognising ties between Georgia and the EU.
The Georgian, Ukrainian and Moldovan foreign ministers will meet with the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles today in Brussels to discuss further cooperation between the EU and its three associated members within the EU’s Eastern Partnership initiative (EaP) format.
The Georgian, Ukrainian and Moldovan FMs have met with High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles earlier today in Brussels on behalf of the Associated Trio format the countries created in May 2021 to strengthen cooperation for the EU integration. At a press conference Borrell said that the EU ‘should be proud that our partners want to move closer to us and even to join it.’
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has called yesterday’s disrupted parliamentary session ‘damaging and unacceptable’ amid the upcoming 17th International Conference - Georgia's European Way, which is taking place in Batumi today. Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri was to deliver an address at yesterday's extraordinary session regarding the events of July 5 and the measures taken by the police. Gomelauri was interupted by opposition MPs from the beginning of his speech and was not allowed to continue.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, along with his Ukrainian and Moldovan counterparts, Denys Shmyhal and Natalia Gavrilita, has discussed ways how strengthen ties with the European Union (EU), and the steps which will facilitate the European integration of the countries.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has stated that the invitation of Georgia to Riga Summit at the meetings of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) is the recognition of Georgia’s progress as an aspirant country by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
“The Georgian delegation headed by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili will leave for Brussels for meetings with the PMs of Ukraine and Moldova and high officials of the EU”, said Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani.
Georgian, Ukrainian and Moldovan PMs held a meeting in Brussels earlier today, prior to meeting with top EU officials in the coming hours, ahead of the December 15 summit of the EU’s Eastern Partnership (EaP) initiative. It is the first visit of the Associated Trio to Brussels, a joint initiative of Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova launched in May 2021 to strengthen cooperation towards common European goals and EU membership.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Ukrainian PM Denys Shmuhal and Moldovan PM Natalia Gavrilita have pledged to deepen ties with top officials of the European Union while paying a visit to Brussels ahead of the December 15 Eastern Partnership (EaP) summit.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili is looking forward to the upcoming Eastern Partnership (EaP) summit in December that will ‘pave the way forward for enhanced cooperation’ among the partners and with the European Union.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked his Georgian counterpart Salome Zurabishvili for ‘a strong statement of solidarity and support’. Zelensky made his statement in response to Salome Zurabishvili who has reaffirmed her ‘full support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine’ - a friend and an Association Trio partner of Georgia.
Positive dynamics in the development of bilateral and multilateral relations involving Georgia and Bulgaria were discussed by PM Irakli Gharibashvili and his Bulgarian counterpart Kiril Petkov at the ongoing Munich Security Conference.
Georgia has “very good” chances to obtain the status of a European Union membership candidate state, ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party Head Irakli Kobakhidze said on Friday, expressing hope the Union would make the decision soon.
The French newspaper Le Figaro launched a poll yesterday on whether the Associated Trio countries - Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia - are “destined to join” the European Union.
Readers can vote on the question through the official website of the paper.
Georgian foreign minister Ilia Darchiashvili will hold meetings in Moldova to discuss bilateral cooperation and the European integration agenda of the two countries on Thursday, the foreign ministry said.