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• Prime Minister participates in NATO Summit in Madrid

  Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, together with the Georgian delegation, took part in today's special meeting of the North Atlantic Council within the scope of the NATO Summit in Madrid. Besides the Alliance's member states, the session's participants included the leaders of Finland, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea, and senior EU officials. The meeting discussed some of the challenges facing the global security architecture and the security environment emerging in the Euro-Atlantic space, with emphasis on the need to further the cooperation among NATO member and partner states in order to join forces toward helping maintain rules-based international order. The meeting also discussed the events unfolding in Ukraine. The importance of assisting Ukraine against the ongoing military aggression was also highlighted.
  
  The Prime Minister of Georgia spoke about the worsening security situation in the Black Sea Region and Georgia's steps in light of these circumstances. The Prime Minister, in his speech, underlined the unprecedentedly high level of practical cooperation between Georgia and NATO over the past few years, also expressing hope that the country's progress in implementing reforms will have a positive impact on Georgia's path toward membership.
  
  Several important documents have been adopted at the Madrid Summit, including the new Strategic Concept of NATO 2030, the Madrid Summit Declaration, and the Tailored Support Document for Georgia. Notably, all three documents contain issues of critical importance to Georgia. In particular, they reaffirm the decision made at the Bucharest Summit on Georgia's eventual NATO membership, also reinforcing NATO's open door policy, Georgia's status as an aspirant country, and the Alliance's unwavering support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
  
  The issue of Georgia is reflected in detail in the new Strategic Concept of NATO, the Alliance's guideline document in the course of the next ten years.
  
  Notably, the Tailored Support Document for Georgia, approved at the summit, sets forth concrete measures for furthering Georgia's defense capabilities and enhancing NATO's effective engagement in this process.

  Press Service of the Government Administration

• GLOBALink | NATO becomes tool for certain countries to uphold hegemony: Chinese FM spokesperson

  "As a product of Cold War and the world's largest military alliance, NATO has long held onto the obsolete security vision. It has become a tool for certain countries to uphold their hegemony," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Tuesday.

  Produced by Xinhua Global Service

• Charles Michel at G7 meeting: Ukraine needs more and we are committed to providing more

  Support for Ukraine is the focus of discussions at the G7 meeting taking place in Schloss Elmau, Germany, from 26 to 28 June. During these days, the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Union will work mainly on the global economy, partnerships for developing countries, foreign and security policy, sustainability, food security, multilateralism, and digital transformation.

  The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, highlighted the support that the EU has provided to Ukraine, including €2 billion to provide military equipment. “Ukraine needs more and we are committed to providing more. This comprises more military support, more financial means and more political support. We are also committed to supporting Ukraine’s reconstruction,” said Michel.

  “The EU and the G7 share the same goals: bringing Russia’s war machine to a halt, while protecting our economies and those of our partners. The EU will stand by the people of Ukraine for the long haul and will help defend Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Our aim is to strongly defend our common democratic values,” said Michel.

  The President added that during the G7 meeting, he would highlight food security – “the Kremlin is using food as a silent weapon of war” – and energy security in the light of the war. 

  Find out more

  Press release

  Remarks by President Charles Michel before the G7 summit Germany

• European Council: Ukraine and Moldova granted EU candidate status

  On 23 June, EU leaders meeting in the European Council agreed to grant Ukraine and Moldova EU candidate status.

  “A historic moment. Today marks a crucial step on your path towards the EU,” wrote European Council President Charles Michel on Twitter. “Congratulations to Zelenskyy and Maia Sandu and the people of Ukraine and Moldova. Our future is together.” 

  At the same time, the Council decided to recognise the European perspective of Georgia,  and, according to Michel, “is ready to grant candidate status once the outstanding priorities are addressed”.

  The decision follows the Opinions issued by the European Commission on all three EU accession applications on 17 June.

  “I am very pleased with the Leaders’ endorsement of our Opinions,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the press conference following the Council. “Of course, the countries all have homework to do before moving to the next stage of the accession process. But I am convinced that they will all move as swiftly as possible and work as hard as possible to implement the necessary reforms.” She added that the changes needed for the EU accession would primarily benefit the states’ democracies, economies and citizens.

  “This decision strengthens us all. It strengthens Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, in the face of Russian imperialism and it strengthens the European Union, because it shows once again to the world that we are united and strong in the face of external threats,” said  Ursula von der Leyen.

  In their Conclusions adopted on 23 June, EU leaders said:

  • The European Council recognises the European perspective of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia. The future of these countries and their citizens lies within the European Union.
  • The European Council has decided to grant the status of candidate country to Ukraine and to the Republic of Moldova.
  • The Commission is invited to report to the Council on the fulfilment of the conditions specified in the Commission’s opinions on the respective membership applications as part of its regular enlargement package. The Council will decide on further steps once all these conditions are fully met.
  • The European Council is ready to grant the status of candidate country to Georgia once the priorities specified in the Commission’s opinion on Georgia’s membership application have been addressed.
  • The progress of each country towards the European Union will depend on its own merit in meeting the Copenhagen criteria, taking into consideration the EU’s capacity to absorb new members.

  Find out more

  Press release

  European Council Conclusions

• Georgia and the EU hold annual Human Rights Dialogue

  On 22 June in Brussels, the EU and Georgia held the 15th round of the annual Human Rights Dialogue. 

  Participants exchanged views on the human rights situation in Georgia and on recent developments in the promotion and protection of democracy and human rights since the last dialogue in July 2021. 

  The Georgian delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Teimuraz Gianjalia, and the EU delegation was led by Richard Tibbels, from the European External Action Service. The EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Eamon Gilmore, also participated in the meeting. 

  The next EU-Georgia human rights dialogue is planned to take place in Tbilisi in 2023.

  Find out more

  Press release