Zaur Akbar, the member of Steering Committee of EaP SC Forum
This May, foreign ministers of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova signed a memorandum on the establishment of the Associated Trio for the joint successful European integration of the three countries. In less than a month, on June 24th the three countries made their first joint visit to the EU institutions in Brussels in the format of the Associated Trio. In July, the Heads of State of Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine have gathered in Batumi, Georgia to strengthen the trilateral cooperation on European integration.
StrategEast has interviewed leading experts from EaP countries to find out more about the countries’ EU aspirations in light of these events.
In fact, an Association Agreement signed between EU and Ukraine-Moldova-Georgia is a bilateral agreement between the EU and a third country. In the context of accession to the EU, it serves as the basis for implementation of the membership process. I think these three countries want to integrate into the EU soon in order to prevent further threats stemming from Russia. When I was WOG 4 coordinator for the whole EaP countries, delegates positioned in the Steering Committee of the EaP CSF from Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia were initiating to establish this trio in accelerating the eurointegration process in the societies. Recently, the International Conference – Georgia’s European Way, today held in Batumi on 19 July with attendance of Georgian President, Salome Zaruabishvili, Prime Minister Garibashvili, European Council President Charles Michel, as well as Presidents of Ukraine and Moldova, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Maia Sandu proved that this trio is stepping intensively towards Europe by signing a joint declaration.
I do not think that the disbalanced cooperation with the EU in the EaP will face the end of the EaP program. On the contrary, this could boost competition for those who did not sign Associative Agreement in having broad access to the EU from many aspects.
For other three countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus), the situation has resulted in Armenia with signing of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA), in Azerbaijan negotiations are still in process to Strategic Partnership Agreement with the EU, in Belarus they have recently departed from the EaP. However, there is a chance for Belarus turn back again.
