"Trio countries" push for closer relations with EU

The prime ministers of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine were in Brussels on Tuesday (30 November) for talks with EU leaders ahead of a key summit between Eastern Partnership countries scheduled for 15 December.

Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili, Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal, and Moldovan prime minister Natalia Gavrilița met EU Council president Charles Michel. A statement by the Georgian government later said that "the meeting discussed the upcoming December 15 Eastern Partnership Summit and emphasized that, importantly, its declaration must reflect issues and expectations prioritised by the Associated Trio countries. The Prime Ministers of the three countries reaffirmed their common position that the summit should offer the partner states new opportunities on the path toward further EU integration based on the differentiation and more for more principles. The parties also discussed the priorities and directions important in terms of deeper cooperation between the three countries and the EU."

The statement also added that the Prime Minister of Georgia. Irakli Garibashvili proposed an initiative to hold regular meetings between the EU and the Associated Trio's leaders, with the Associated States taking turns as hosts. 

Irakli Garibashvili also underlined the Georgian Government's ambitious goal of officially applying for full EU membership in 2024. He pointed out that it is paramount for the summit's final declaration to reflect Georgia's European choice and firm support for the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty, with connectivity being another priority direction for Georgia: transport and communications ties to the EU, and concrete steps in this direction, also access to the common EU economic space, while maximally spurring sectoral cooperation, to ensure the physical integration of the Associated States into the EU.

There was little information about the meeting from the EU, but Charles Michel later tweeted a picture of him welcoming the three prime ministers adding:

 

source: commonspace.eu 
photo:  Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili, Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal, and Moldovan prime minister Natalia Gavrilița met EU Council president Charles Michel in Brussels on 30 November 2021. 

Related articles

Editor's choice
News
Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged

Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged

Borrell underlined that the European Union will make every effort to support the peace process and to remain a committed partner to the Afghan people. "Of course, we will have to take into account the evolving situation, but disengagement is not an option.  We are clear on that: there is no alternative to a negotiated political settlement, through inclusive peace talks.
Editor's choice
News
Dozens participate in new Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue process as societies prepare for the signing of historic peace agreement

Dozens participate in new Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue process as societies prepare for the signing of historic peace agreement

The governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan have recently agreed the text of a historic peace agreement that ends years of animosity and warfare. The agreement is expected to be signed soon. LINKS Europe, which has a long history of engagement with the process of peace in the region, recently launched a new Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue format in the framework of the European Union's EU4Peace initiative. In the last two weeks dozens of Armenians and Azerbaijanis, including academics, students, civil society activists, journalists and other professionals, many of them young, were involved. The work is organised in five thematic groups focusing on peace and security, connectivity, environment, governance and gender and equality and in phase 2 of the project, which has just ended, around fifty participants took part in in-person and online meetings, and more than twenty others were involved indirectly. The Chairpersons of the five thematic groups met in Vilnius, 3-6 July to launch the third phase of the program. The five thematic groups are now working on separate reports, which are expected to be finished in November and presented to the two governments and other stakeholders. The reports will outline a vision, up to 2040.

Popular

Editor's choice
News
Dozens participate in new Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue process as societies prepare for the signing of historic peace agreement

Dozens participate in new Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue process as societies prepare for the signing of historic peace agreement

The governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan have recently agreed the text of a historic peace agreement that ends years of animosity and warfare. The agreement is expected to be signed soon. LINKS Europe, which has a long history of engagement with the process of peace in the region, recently launched a new Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue format in the framework of the European Union's EU4Peace initiative. In the last two weeks dozens of Armenians and Azerbaijanis, including academics, students, civil society activists, journalists and other professionals, many of them young, were involved. The work is organised in five thematic groups focusing on peace and security, connectivity, environment, governance and gender and equality and in phase 2 of the project, which has just ended, around fifty participants took part in in-person and online meetings, and more than twenty others were involved indirectly. The Chairpersons of the five thematic groups met in Vilnius, 3-6 July to launch the third phase of the program. The five thematic groups are now working on separate reports, which are expected to be finished in November and presented to the two governments and other stakeholders. The reports will outline a vision, up to 2040.