23 June 2023, at the joint initiative of and in close coordination between the current Chairmanship of Ukraine in the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (ODED) – GUAM and the GUAM Secretariat, the meeting with the Heads of diplomatic missions of the EU member states and the EU Delegation to Ukraine, as well as diplomatic missions of the GUAM member states, took place at the Headquarters of the GUAM Secretariat in Kyiv.
During the meeting, the National Coordinator (NC) of GUAM from Ukraine, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Mr M. Tochytskyi informed the participants of the ongoing military aggression of the RF against Ukraine and its dire consequences. M. Tochytskyi expressed gratitude to the meeting participants for the principled position of their countries in this war and the assistance provided to Ukraine. He also informed about the priorities of the Ukrainian Chairmanship in the ODED-GUAM for the current year, emphasizing the implementation of the GUAM Transport Corridor (TC) development project.
GUAM Secretary General (SG) Mr A. Efendiev briefed the participants of the meeting on the main stages of development and the activities of the ODED-GUAM, goals, and objectives facing the Organization in the context of aggression of RF against Ukraine, the dynamically changing geopolitical context and the respective priorities of regional and international cooperation. In this regard, the GUAM SG emphasized the importance of strengthening and expanding international cooperation with the ODED-GUAM. Referring to the decisions taken by the supreme bodies of the Organization, the GUAM SG called on the EU countries to consider the possibility of developing a regional format of cooperation between the EU and GUAM in addition to bilateral relations.
As a specific example, A. Efendiev called on the EU representatives to support implementing the GUAM Transport Corridor initiative, which corresponds with the strategic interests of both organizations. The GUAM SG informed the meeting participants about the consultations held, in this regard, with the official representatives of the European Commission in Brussels. The GUAM Transport Corridor can become an essential component in the emerging new communications architecture connecting the West and the East, capable of providing the EU countries with access to new markets, alternative energy sources, and alternative routes for the supply of goods.
In this regard, A. Efendiev noted that the joint implementation of this initiative would contribute to deepening regional cooperation in the GUAM space, expanding cooperation between the EU and GUAM in the implementation of new initiatives and projects aimed at forming this strategically important geographic space as a zone of peace, security, and development.
The event ended with a reception at the premises of the GUAM Secretariat.
