Eastern Partnership summit recognized European aspirations of Ukraine

The Summit of Eastern Partnership recognized the European aspirations of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. This is stated in the joint final declaration of leaders of the EU countries and participants in the eastern partnership, UNIAN reports .

“The summit participants recognize European aspirations and the European choice of interested partners, as indicated in the Association Agreement,” the declaration says. “The summit participants admit that democracy, respect of human rights, basic freedoms and the rule of law are in the center of political association and economic integration, as provided for in the agreements of the association. They recognize the adherence of interested partnerships In the implementation and promotion of these values. "

The Eastern Partnership continues to serve as a comprehensive basis for cooperation and dialogue aimed at long -term, complex reforms, ”said the summit participants. They welcomed the signing of agreements on the Association of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

"The summit participants emphasize that the implementation of association agreements and the in -depth and comprehensive free trade zone will be one of the main priorities of the EU and interested partners in the coming years," the document emphasizes.

The declaration says that the European Union confirms its positions expressed in a joint statement following the results of the EU-Ukrainian summit on April 27, about the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol.

The day before it was reported that Belarus and Armenia refused to sign the final statement of the Eastern Partnership summit , since the Russian annexation of Crimea was declared illegal in this document. In this regard, European diplomats prepared a new edition of a statement in which the positions of the European Union and the countries of the Eastern Partnership are presented separately.

The Riga summit was attended by the highest state officials of 28 EU countries and the Eastern Partnership countries. The program launched by the EU in 2009 includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Within the framework of the summit, events were also held, which gathered representatives of civil society, journalists and entrepreneurs.