The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy, Olivér Várhelyi, emphasised the EU’s commitment to the Eastern Partnership on Thursday 11 June.
This Partnership is “one of the most important aspects of the EU’s external relations”, stressed Mr Borrell at the end of a videoconference bringing together foreign ministers from the Member States and the six partner countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) (see EUROPE 12485/15). While highlighting “11 years of successful partnership”, the High Representative explained that there is “still much to be done and achieved together”.
Mr Borrell reiterated that the partner countries could count on the EU to stand by them and support them. “We need to look ahead together and see how to shape a better future”, he said.
Mr Várhelyi agreed that the more partner countries engage with the EU, the more the EU is ready to engage with them.
The videoconference was an opportunity to take stock of the EU’s support for partner countries in the fight against Covid-19 (see EUROPE 12457/12), but also to prepare for the Eastern Partnership Virtual Summit to be held on Thursday 18 June, at which the future of the Partnership will be discussed (see EUROPE 12449/23). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)