In a joint statement at the 23rd Ukraine-EU Summit, Ukraine and the EU supported the creation of the Associated Trio, an important new format for international cooperation between the EU's three associate partners: Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba stated this during an online briefing on Wednesday, October 13, the Government portal reports.

«The Joint Statement of the 23rd Ukraine-EU Summit for the first time called for an Associated Trio of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. We created this new format of international cooperation in May this year in Kyiv. The Associated Trio is one of the regional alliances that creates new opportunities for Ukraine in Europe,» the Minister said.

According to the Minister, this initiative should be perceived by European partners as aimed at developing the Eastern Partnership and creating new European opportunities for Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, which are part of the common European family and see their future in the EU.

«We propose to hold another meeting in the EU + Associated Trio format in the near future to discuss further liberalization of trade between Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova with the EU in the context of the green course and the digital transition of the European Union,» he added.

The Minister said that Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova will continue the practice of joint visits to EU member states at all levels in order to acquaint European partners in detail with the initiative of the Associated Trio and to find new areas of cooperation.

«Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova are working to find additional tools to facilitate and accelerate the integration of the Associated Trio into the EU Internal Market. This is in our interests and the strategic interests of the EU. The priority areas of enhanced cooperation of the Associated Trio with the EU include trade, security, healthcare, connectivity, digitalization and environmental protection,» Dmytro Kuleba said.

It will be recalled that the Associated Trio is a tripartite format of enhanced cooperation between Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova on European integration, which was launched on May 17, 2021 during the joint visit of the Foreign Ministers of Moldova and Georgia to Ukraine.