Aufruf der geor­gi­schen Zivil­ge­sell­schaft zur Unter­stüt­zung der EU-Per­spek­tive für die Ukraine

Hier doku­men­tie­ren wir den Aufruf aus der geor­gi­schen Zivil­ge­sell­schaft zur Unter­stüt­zung einer EU-Per­spek­tive für die Ukraine.

To:
H. E. Charles Michel, Pre­si­dent of the Euro­pean Council
H. E. Ursula von der Leyen, Pre­si­dent of the Euro­pean Commission
H. E. Roberta Metsola, Pre­si­dent of the Euro­pean Parliament
H. E. Josep Borrell Fon­tel­les, High Repre­sen­ta­tive of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Secu­rity Policy
The Heads of the Govern­ments of the EU Member States

Today Ukraine and the whole of Europe face an extra­or­di­nary threat caused by Russia’s aggres­sion and Putin’s attempt to change the demo­cra­ti­cally elected govern­ment of Ukraine. We, the Geor­gian people, fully support Ukraine’s heroic fight for inde­pen­dence and sove­reig­nty. We are hear­tened to see that the whole world is in soli­da­rity with Pre­si­dent Zel­en­sky and his people. Ukrai­ni­ans are fight­ing not only for their future but also for the future of Euro­peans, for the future of Georgia and Moldova, and for every indi­vi­dual, family, and country who wants to live in peace, pro­spe­rity, and security.

We, the Geor­gian people, face the same chal­lenges as Ukraine does. Russia, too, has occu­p­ied our land, has waged war against our sta­te­hood and sove­reig­nty, and has attempted to change demo­cra­ti­cally elected Govern­ment through force and hybrid warfare. We were first to with­stand this deadly chall­enge in 2008, albeit at a tre­men­dous human cost and Russia’s occu­pa­tion of 20% of our territory.

We are glad to see that Euro­pean leaders and public opinion are incli­ned towards accep­ting Ukraine, whole and free to the family of Euro­pean nations. We fully support Pre­si­dent Zelensky’s drive for Ukraine to join the Euro­pean Union. We are also glad to see that the Pre­si­dent of the Euro­pean Council and the Pre­si­dent of the Euro­pean Com­mis­sion, tog­e­ther with many EU member states and Members of the Euro­pean Par­lia­ment, plan to discuss Ukraine’s Euro­pean aspi­ra­ti­ons and mem­ber­ship per­spec­tive seriously. We want to ask the lea­der­ship of the EU insti­tu­ti­ons and EU Member States to grant Ukraine the clear path towards Euro­pean Union membership.

Throug­hout the last days, EU citi­zens and govern­ments have shown their full support of Ukraine by defen­ding Ukraine by impo­sing sanc­tions on Russia and pro­vi­ding Ukrai­ni­ans with mili­tary, eco­no­mic, and finan­cial assis­tance. Ukrai­nian people deserve to be part of the most peaceful and pro­spe­rous club of Euro­pean nations, which emerged after the devas­ta­ting world war. Ukrai­ni­ans have shown that they can give the ulti­mate sacri­fice – their lives for their Euro­pean future. Maidan of 2004, Euro­mai­dan of 2014, and their heroic fight of 2022 against Russia is a tes­ta­ment to the Ukrai­nian people’s Euro­pean iden­tity and rea­di­ness to define their future free of tanks, bombs, and Russian dictate.

The Geor­gian people are fully in soli­da­rity with Ukraine in their fight for inde­pen­dence and Euro­pean aspi­ra­tion. We stron­gly believe that the Euro­pean Union and Member states should treat the Eastern Part­ner­ship region’s Trio – Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova, as one whole inse­pa­ra­ble region, facing common pro­blems related to Russia’s aggres­sion, occu­pa­tion, and annexa­tion. The­r­e­fore, we hope that the EU will posi­tively respond to Ukraine’s request for mem­ber­ship and, by the same token, open doors for Georgia’s and Moldova’s Euro­pean perspectives.

Georgia’s Reforms Associates
Open Society Georgia Foundation
Europe-Georgia Institute
Geor­gian Insti­tute for Stra­te­gic Studies
Human Rights Center
Geor­gian Farmers Association
World Expe­ri­ence for Georgia
Geor­gian Insti­tute of Politics
Inter­na­tio­nal Society for Fair Elec­tions and Democracy
Insti­tute for Demo­cracy and Safe Development
Geor­gian Demo­cracy Initiative
United Nations Asso­cia­tion of Georgia
Society and Banks
Atlan­tic Council Georgia
Geor­gian Foun­da­tion for Stra­te­gic and Inter­na­tio­nal Studies
Tole­rance and Diver­sity Institute
Insti­tute for Deve­lo­p­ment of Freedom of Information
SOVLAB – Soviet Past Rese­arch Laboratory
Media Deve­lo­p­ment Foundation
Geor­gian Young Lawyers’ Association
Cau­ca­sus Open Space
Trans­pa­rency Inter­na­tio­nal Georgia
Eco­no­mic Policy Rese­arch Center
Sapari
Part­ner­ship for Human Rights
Social Justice Center
Europe Foundation
Egeria Solutions
In Depth Report­ing and Eco­no­mic Ana­ly­sis Center
The Geor­gian Charter of Jour­na­li­stic Ethics