EU should continue supporting reform process and resilience of Eastern Partnership countries - Karins

  • 2021-12-16
  • LETA/TBT Staff

RIGA - In the current geopolitical situation it is important to maintain a strict EU stance and continue to support reform processes and strengthening resilience of the Eastern Partnership countries, said Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins (New Unity).

LETA learned from the prime minister's spokesman Sandris Sabajevs that on Wednesday he participated in the sixth Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels and met with leaders of other EU member states and Eastern Partnership countries - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The goal of the summit is to confirm that the partnership is based on common value, unity and solidarity.

Addressing the participants of the summit, the prime minister underscored that they should consider the complicated and alarming regional security aspects, including the situation in Belarus and its hybrid attacks on the EU external border, Russia's military activities near the Ukrainian border and energy crisis instigated by Russia, as well as the disinformation campaign targeting western countries.

Karins called on the EU to make one step forward to the wish of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova to deepen cooperation and gradually integrate them in the EU internal market. Karins said that the Eastern Partnership policy has proved to be successful, but the ambitions of each country to near the EU are different.

The summit agreed on strategic future policy goals and adopted a joint declaration, demonstrating the Eastern Partnership policy ambition and mutual responsibility on its continuation in the future.

As Belarus decided to suspend its participation in the Eastern Partnership an empty chair was left for Belarus at the table.