President Salomé Zurabishvili held a joint press conference with Moldovan President Maia Sandu on October 17 as part of her visit to Moldova.

Remarks by President Zurabishvili

President Zurabishvili began her address by stressing that her visit was the first by a Georgian president in 12 years.

The Georgian President also drew attention to the ongoing war in Ukraine at the start of her speech, pointing in particular to the indiscriminate attacks taking place in Ukrainian cities, which she said are “unacceptable in the modern world. …”

In this context, she called Russia’s aggression an “anachronism” in the 21st century and said that Russia was “stuck in the last century which was the century of wars and totalitarianism”.

President Zurabishvili therefore underlined that “the war in Ukraine is the greatest danger currently facing our countries, Europe and the world as a whole, and therefore aggression, injustice and inhumanity cannot be allowed to win”.

She noted that as a country whose regions are occupied by Russia, Russia’s recent actions in Ukraine and the resulting challenges are felt more “intensely” in Georgia.

Going further, President Zurabishvili reiterated her condemnation of Russia’s actions against Ukraine, as well as its annexation of Ukrainian territories. “I declare my solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people on behalf of Georgia and the Georgian people,” she said.

President Zurabishvili also underlined that the main weapon against Russia’s “brutality” is the unprecedented solidarity shown by the international community towards Ukraine.

While acknowledging that the war in Ukraine is a “great challenge” for Europe, President Zurabishvili stressed that at least Europe now sees the “true face of Russia”, whereas in the past they entertained the hope that Russia could be trusted.

President Zurabishvili also noted that this challenge and the struggle of the Ukrainian people have opened a new path and opportunities for countries with European aspirations. On the subject, she pointed out that despite granting Georgia a European perspective while Ukraine and Moldova received EU candidate status, the trio remain on the same path to Europe. .

“I am deeply convinced that all three of us will see the results of this path and of the European integration of our countries”, she underlined. “This war will end with the victory of Ukraine [and] reconstruction, as well as our reunification with the European Union.

The President also drew attention to the recent Prague Summitwhere countries with European perspectives and candidate status sat down with EU members and said the meeting was symbolic of the fact that “we are all members of one European family”.

“This is our future and we have no other future or perspective, so we need to show more solidarity between us, our two countries…and more solidarity with the European Union…because that our future, our independence and our freedom, is indivisible,” she said. concluded.

Remarks by President Sandu

President Sandu opened her speech by also noting that President Zurabishvili’s visit to Moldova is the first by a Georgian president in 12 years. Therefore, she expressed the hope that the visit would mark a new chapter in Moldovan-Georgian relations and give “new impetus to our contacts and bilateral exchanges in several fields”.

Turning to the war in Ukraine, President Sandu stressed that “these are very complicated times”. She stressed that Georgia and Moldova “condemned from day one” Russia’s attack on Ukraine, called for Russia to be punished for its war crimes, supported Ukrainians fleeing abroad and rejected the illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories.

“We reiterate, on this occasion, our unconditional respect for the sovereignty of Ukraine and the territorial integrity of the neighboring country within its internationally recognized borders,” she said.

“This is all the more relevant as Moldova and Georgia also have unresolved conflicts on their territories,” added President Sandu, who took the opportunity to express Moldova’s continued support for sovereignty and to the territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders.

While emphasizing that without peace in Ukraine “there can be no peace in Europe”, the Moldovan President urged the international community to “do everything possible to stop Russian aggression and help Ukraine restore its territorial integrity “.

“We cannot allow aggression and fear to prevail. We must do everything to restore the rules-based international order, to reaffirm our respect for international law, the sovereignty of States and their right to decide their own fate. Only then can we ensure lasting peace in our region and in the world,” she added.

President Sandu underlined that despite these difficulties, both Moldova and Georgia are working towards “smooth development and a peaceful and prosperous future for their citizens” and noted that “the intensification of bilateral cooperation can help achieve this”.

In the framework of cooperation, President Sandu highlighted the areas of trade and economy, as well as the cultural sphere, and the possibility of exchanging experiences in the fight against propaganda and disinformation, an issue to which the two countries are confronted.

The intensification of bilateral cooperation can help us achieve this. We want to continue the work of the bilateral intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation and intensify contacts in the cultural and human spheres.

Regarding the European aspirations of the two nations, President Sandu underlined that it is “our duty to do everything possible to accelerate the realization of the European dream of our peoples”. “The future in the European family of states will anchor our countries in a political, economic and valuable space where people will have more opportunities to live and develop freely, safely and prosperously,” she said. declared.

President Sandu also recalls his visit in Batumi in the summer of 2021 and invited President Zurabishvili to Chisinau in the spring of 2023, for the next summit of the European Political Community.

“Open dialogue and cooperation, the sharing of the values ​​of freedom and democracy and the exchange of experiences in the process of European integration will help our countries to move forward on the European path and offer their citizens a guaranteed future in the free world,” she added. concluded.

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ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)