PM Garibashvili on Associated Trio: looking forward for enhanced cooperation among partners, with EU

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.

He said at a news briefing in Brussels today that meetings with the top EU officials in the framework of the Associated Trio have been very engaging.

The main message that we carried during our visit is the reaffirmation of trio’s intention to further advance the integration of our countries with the EU, to take stock of already achieved results and to identify together with the leaders of the EU institutions the next steps towards deeper sectoral integration”, he said. 

The Associated Trio composed of the Georgian, Ukrainian and Moldovan Prime Ministers is holding the first joint visit to Brussels reiterating their countries’ European aspirations and commitment to European values. 

Seven years ago, by signing the Association Agreements, including the DCFTAs, our states made a commitment to embark on a process of complex reforms in order to achieve legal and normative convergence with the EU. This commitment holds stronger than ever”, PM Garibashvili said. 

He then added that ‘being a part of the political association and economic integration with the EU, the three of us can benefit from our individual achievements and jointly address emerging challenges’.

As the most active partners within the Eastern Partnership, we have reaffirmed with our EU colleagues our commitment to contribute to the success of the strategic policy framework based on two very important pillars – differentiation and inclusivity”, he concluded. 

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Ukrainian PM Denys Shmuhal and Moldovan PM Natalia Gavrilita have met with President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel and President of European Parliament David Sassoli earlier today. 

The new format of cooperation - the Associated Trio - was established In May 2021 aimed to further strengthen cooperation for common European goals and help the signatory countries rapidly integrate into the EU.