The current events in Ukraine, Georgia's European integration and bilateral relations were discussed by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte in a phone call on Wednesday.
In the call, particular attention was paid to the recent bids for European Union membership by the Associated Trio states of Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova, as well as the progress made by Georgia in the implementation of its Association Agreement with the EU, the Government Administration said.
The Georgian PM also told his Dutch colleague a positive decision of the European Commission regarding the membership applications would be an additional incentive for Georgia’s successful continuation of the reforms, and mark the beginning of a new phase in its relations with the Union. Garibashvili expressed hope for support from the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the EU membership bid process.
During the telephone conversation, the officials also focused on the ongoing war in Ukraine, and the difficult security environment created in the Black Sea region as a result.
In his comments, Garibashvili reaffirmed Georgia's solidarity and political support for Ukraine including through various formats, and stressed the need for the international community to work together to de-escalate the situation and end the war “as soon as possible”.
The two Prime Ministers also discussed the security challenges facing Georgia, including the situation in its Russian-occupied territories. Rutte reaffirmed the Netherlands’ “unwavering support” for Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty in the call.
????: I just spoke to Georgian Prime Minister @GharibashviliGe about the latest developments regarding the war in Ukraine. I expressed the Netherlands’ undiminished support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both Ukraine and Georgia.
— Mark Rutte (@MinPres) March 16, 2022
Rutte later responded to the conversation with Garibashvili via Twitter and expressed the Netherland’s undiminished support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both Ukraine and Georgia.