Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine

On July 14, the Chair of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU met with her Georgian counterpart Maka Bochorishvili, who heads the Committee on European Integration of the Georgian Parliament.

The parties discussed the inter-parliamentary level of cooperation between the countries, common goals - integration into the EU and NATO, as well as confrontation of common security threats. Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze thanked the Georgian delegation for fruitful cooperation in the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly at various levels and in other parliamentary assemblies. At the same time, she noted that still there was a lot of work to be done: “We in Ukraine are ready to step together with Georgia whenever you have to defend your independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. We also hope that Georgia, as it has been until now, will also support Ukraine in the struggle for its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

Maka Bochorishvili agreed that Ukraine and Georgia have common challenges and goals: “Whatever parties we represent when it comes to the international dimension of cooperation, our voices shall sound in unison. Especially when it comes to security, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of our states”.

Ms. Bochorishvili noted that both Georgia and Ukraine were demonstrating very good dynamics towards integration into the European Union. “The Memorandum on the establishment of the Associated Trio for the joint successful European integration of the three countries (Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova), signed by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of our countries will help us coordinate our efforts towards the EU integration,” she said.

The Chair of the Committee on Ukraine s Integration into the EU reminded that both countries had a common agenda in the Eastern Partnership. “We look forward to the summit between the EU and the Eastern Partnership countries. We are happy for Moldova, for the victory of democratic forces in the parliamentary elections in this country. This gives us hope to restore the inter-parliamentary level of cooperation between our countries. I also hope for the emergence of a security component within the framework of the Eastern Partnership. It has always been very shy in this format, but it is exactly in line with the agenda of our three countries - Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova,” Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze said.

Maka Bochorishvili agreed that Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine had a completely different legal basis and political dialogue with the European Union than other members of the Eastern Partnership - Belarus, Azerbaijan and Armenia. The EU cannot ignore this.

Ms. Bochorishvili also informed that Georgia was ready to hold a meeting of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Parliaments of Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova in the near future. The Assembly was launched in 2018 during an international conference with the participation of the Speakers of the Parliaments of the Parties, and its first meeting took place in October 2018 in Tbilisi. Ms. Bochorishvili suggested holding this year's meeting in September to coordinate the efforts of the three countries before the Eastern Partnership summit with the EU.

The meeting with Maka Bochorishvili was also attended by Ivan Krulko, Chair of the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly and Lyudmila Marchenko, Co-Chair of the Interparliamentary Relations Group with Georgia.