Eastern Europe

EU, US, NATO ‘enormously grateful’ for Georgia’s role in Kabul evacuations

As the dust settled following the dramatic evacuation at Kabul airport, the role of Georgia which provided critical assistance to the US and the Western partners is getting acknowledgement and praise.

Ukraine vows to bring Crimea back as international leaders affirm support in Kyiv

An international summit initiated by Ukraine reaffirmed on Monday (23 August) international commitments to de-occupy Crimea, seven and a half years after Russian troops occupied the strategic Black Sea peninsula.

Thirteen years on – 20% of Georgia is still occupied by Russia

It is crucial that the EU beefs-up its presence in South Caucasus more broadly, particularly on security and conflict related issues, write Amanda Paul and Iana Maisuradze in an analysis of the situation in Georgia 13 years after the 2008 war which depleted the country of 20% of its territory.

Ukrainian president orders review of protection measures for Belarusians after activist’s death

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday ordered a review of the risks to Belarusians in Ukraine following the death of an activist.

Ukraine vows to probe case of hanged Belarusian activist

Ukraine will do its best to investigate the death of Belarusian activist Vitaly Shishov who was found hanged in a Kyiv park, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Tuesday.

Newer EU members support Associated Trio as ‘champions’

Though vast majority of EU countries welcome deeper integration with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, their "Associated Trio" initiative finds more support within Eastern and Central Europe, while the Commission and Western member states remain hesitant to adopt the term.

The Brief – Too many cooks in the foreign policy kitchen?

In the Georgian Black Sea resort Batumi, taxi drivers, who usually talk about the likes of football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, are currently talking about European Council President Charles Michel. In Georgia’s political crisis following the last parliamentary election in October...

Associated Trio to ramp up cooperation on Black Sea security

The confrontation between Russia and the West is coming to a head, experts say. In consequence, the Associated Trio – Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova – has declared its aims to step up cooperation to strengthen security in the Black Sea...

Georgia FM: We need a post-2020 Eastern Partnership agenda perspective

In an exclusive interview, the foreign minister of Georgia, David Zalkaliani, discussed this week's Associated Trio summit in Batumi, relations with Ukraine, the internal political process and the country’s EU ambition.

Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova seek acceptance of their EU membership perspective

A summit between Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova in the Georgian Black Sea city of Batumi culminated on Monday (19 July) with the signature of a declaration calling for the EU to acknowledge the perspective of these countries to become full EU members one day. EURACTIV reports from Batumi.

Charles Michel heralds more EU involvement in the South Caucasus

European Council President Charles Michel will attend a regional summit in the Georgian Black Sea city of Batumi on Monday (19 July), after a weekend visit of Armenia and Azerbaijan, in what appears as an attempt to keep the region closer to the EU. EURACTIV reports from Batumi.

The Brief, powered by UNESDA – Three Seas riddle

Sofia hosts a summit of the Three Seas Initiative (3SI) on Thursday and Friday (8-9 July) at a very inconvenient time – just before the snap general elections to be held in Bulgaria on Sunday. It’s not great when geopolitics interferes with politics.

Georgian parliament approves electoral reform, moving step away from political crisis

The Georgian parliament approved amendments to the electoral code late on Monday (28 June), a key provision in an EU-brokered political deal meant to resolve the institutional crisis in the South Caucasian country with strong European aspirations.

Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine: A higher EU ambition

The foreign ministers of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine are together in Brussels on Thursday (24 June) for their first joint visit to the EU since the three countries formalised the format of ‘Associated Trio’ last May. This exclusive opinion by David Zalkaliani, Aureliu Ciocoim and Dmytro Kuleba highlights their countries’ higher EU ambition.

Tsikhanouskaya: EU must base Belarus policy ‘on values, not pictures’

The EU must apply consistent pressure on the repressive Belarusian regime until it responds to calls for dialogue, exiled democratic opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.

Georgian mediation obtains the release of 15 Armenian POWs by Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan on Saturday (12 June) released to Armenia 15 prisoners of war captured last year during hostilities over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, under a deal mediated by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and saluted by the US and the EU.

What can Lithuania and Poland do to protect Belarusian political refugees?

As many Belarusians flee their country and seek refuge in neighbouring countries, what can Lithuania and Poland do to protect Belarusians, write Monika Bičkauskaitė and Veranika Laputska.

Georgia opposition ends parliamentary boycott

Georgia's main opposition party on Sunday (30 May) announced the end of a months-long parliamentary boycott that has plunged the Caucasus nation into a spiralling political crisis, following disputed elections last year.

Will the flight ban trap Belarusian dissidents in the hands of Lukashenko?

The EU has effectively banned air connections with Belarus in the wake of a forced diversion of a Vilnius-bound flight from Athens which the Baltic states have labelled a "hijacking", however critics of the move fear the new measures could hurt dissidents fleeing regime repression.

EU hesitant over potential ‘Putin connection’ in Belarus plane ‘hijacking’

Despite the speculations about a Russian involvement in the forced landing of the Ryanair airliner in Minsk, given the importance of Russia, EU leaders who met in Brussels for a two-day summit decided to decouple the issues and concentrate on...

Kakha Kuchava: In Georgia we are changing the political culture

In a wide-ranging interview, Kakha Kuchava, the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, told about the latest developments since the mediation by Council President Charles Michel, the role of Russia and the new format of ‘Associated Trio’ between Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova.

Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine formalise their higher EU ambition

The three former Soviet republics hoping to join the EU have formalised their cooperation towards a more ambitious European integration on Monday (17 May) during a meeting of their foreign ministers in Kyiv.

Georgia opposition leader walks free after EU posts bail

Georgia on Monday (10 May) released jailed opposition leader Nika Melia on bail posted by the European Union, in a move expected to defuse a political crisis in the Caucasus country.