13 July 2023, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain in Ukraine, H.E. Ricardo Lopez-Aranda Jagu, received the GUAM Secretary General A. Efendiev upon the latter’s initiative. During the meeting, the GUAM SG informed Spanish Ambassador about the GUAM priorities during the Chairmanship of Ukraine and shared some ideas on the initiatives of mutual interest for both organizations in developing a regional cooperation framework. The main focus was on the implementation of the GUAM Transport Corridor and the possible assistance of the EU in the elaboration of the Feasibility Study. The Parties agreed to continue the dialogue and coordinate joint activities.
This meeting can be viewed as a continuation of the dialogue between the ODED-GUAM and the EU, which started first with meetings of the SG in Brussels with the EC officials on April 27-28, 2023, then – the meeting with the Heads of the diplomatic missions of the EU member states accredited in Ukraine at the GUAM HQ organized on June 23, 2023.
As is known, as of July 1, 2023, Spain has assumed the Presidency in the EU. In a manifestation of solidarity and the commitment of the EU to Ukraine, struggling for its independence against the brutal military aggression of the RF, the Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez visited Kyiv on this same day. The principled stance and the active role of the EU in support of Ukraine and the GUAM region were highlighted and highly appreciated during the meeting. The parties also exchanged views on the potential role of Spain in the context of the EU’s growing engagement in the GUAM region and further promotion of the EU’s interests as a regional stakeholder.
