Eastern Partnership Needs Reboot

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba took part in the meeting of foreign ministers of EU member states and Eastern Partnership countries in Brussels.

Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy; Olivér Várhelyi, EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement; and the foreign ministers of the EU member states, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine discussed preparations for the Eastern Partnership summit in December.

Kuleba informed his partners about Russia’s aggravation of the security situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, along the Ukrainian border, and in the wider Black Sea region. The minister called for strengthening security cooperation within the framework of the Eastern Partnership.

The chief Ukrainian diplomat presented Ukraine’s strategic vision for the development and strengthening of the Eastern Partnership, which is based on the principles of inclusiveness and differentiation, expanded sectoral cooperation, and the implementation of practical initiatives.

“The Eastern Partnership needs a reboot in order to meet the present-day needs and challenges,” he said.

Kuleba outlined Ukraine’s strategic vision for the strategic areas of the initiative: developing trade; strengthening security, in particular, energy; implementing the European Green Deal; and integrating into the EU Digital Single Market.

“The Association Trio countries have made progress in synchronisation of their legislation with the EU, internal transformation and economic integration. The success of the Association Trio is the driving force for further change for the better in the region,” the minister stressed.

Kuleba noted that the Association Trio was based on the common desire of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova to gain European prospects and become EU members in the future. The minister is convinced that the Trio is already complementing and strengthening the Eastern Partnership. He called on the EU and its member states not to view relations with Ukraine and other Eastern Partnership countries through the prism of relations with Russia.

Natalia Tolub