Georgian, Ukrainian Foreign Ministers Speak of ‘Common’ EU Integration Agenda

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin discussed bilateral relations and multilateral cooperation with Georgian leaders during his official visit to Tbilisi on April 21-22. 

Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze was the first to meet his Ukrainian counterpart. Klimkin and Janelidze told the journalists at their joint press briefing after the meeting that the two discussed a range of political, economic and humanitarian issues, as well as the planned visit of President Petro Poroshenko to Tbilisi.

Klimkin noted at the press briefing that Ukraine and Georgia have “ambitious” political and economic relations and that his visit to Tbilisi highlights “the special perception and feeling of sympathy and friendship between Ukrainians and Georgians.” “Our relations are based on the same values, but it is also about the same vision, the same vision of our goals, and the same threats and challenges,” he also stated.

The two ministers stressed the importance of the Georgian-Ukrainian cooperation with respect to the two countries’ European integration.

“We will closely coordinate our actions, our ideas, our plans, because we all understand that we have the Eastern Partnership, but we have Georgia and Ukraine going clear way of European integration and we need to have a special treatment in our drive towards the European Union,” the Ukrainian Foreign Minister said.

“We already have tangible successes on the path of our European integration, but our ultimate goal is of course more, full membership of the European family, and I believe that through our common efforts we will achieve more success on the path of European integration,” Janelidze responded.

The Ministers also spoke on supporting each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in multilateral forums. 

“Any time we are discussing something in any international forum the issue of Georgia’s independence, inviolability of borders and territorial integrity is in our agenda,” Klimkin said. 

Janelidze, on his part, condemned the continuation of occupation and aggression against Ukraine by the Russian Federation in his remarks.

Following the meeting, the Ministers signed a joint statement on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of restoration of diplomatic relations between Georgia and Ukraine. In the document, the sides condemned the occupation and aggression against Georgia and Ukraine by the Russian Federation, agreed to strengthen coordination in multilateral forums (UN, OSCE, Council of Europe, GUAM, BSEC and others), intensify cooperation on EU integration and confirmed their interest in joining the international transport and energy projects on the Europe-Caucasus-Asia route, including those within the framework of the "New Silk Road.”

As part of the visit, Pavlo Klimkin also met with Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, President Giorgi Margvelashvili and Parliament Chairman Irakli Kobakhidze, and visited Khurvaleti, a village adjacent to South Ossetia which has been split in two by the Russian barbed wire and thus became a symbol of Russia’s encroachment on the Georgian territory.

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