UA
FR
DEDuring his working visit to Georgia, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the Batumi International Conference. In his speech, he stressed that Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia met today at this level as the European Union associate partners for the first time.
“We have common aspirations today as we see common visions tomorrow. This is a full-fledged membership in the European Union: equality, freedom, and democracy. Unfortunately, our countries are united not only by aspirations but also by the price we paid for them. We know firsthand what annexation, occupation, war are,” Zelensky said.
According to him, the meeting in the Associated Trio format creates a new regional dimension for the enlargement of the European Union, which should include Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia.
The President of Ukraine also stressed that Russia was trying to significantly slow down the European integration of these three states, so he expected the European Union to take steps forward.
“When Brussels does not show iron support for the European aspirations of our three countries [Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova], then someone shows the iron muscles of their weapons near our three state borders. And this, in my opinion, is a threat not only to our three countries but also to the whole continent. That is why we do not understand why the voice of our states is not heard at the conference on the future of Europe. Aren’t they part of its future? If one of the countries is not important for the future of Europe, it is not the Europe of the future,” Zelensky said.
He believes that the proof of the European future of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova can be granting these three countries a European prospect.
The President of Ukraine also stated that he expected concrete further integration proposals from the EU at the forthcoming Eastern Partnership summit and otherwise did not see any sense in it.
Bohdan Marusyak
