Meetings and Discussions

   

Three Seas Initiative (3SI): The right time and right place for the 3SI to be discussed in Georgia

On April 11, 2023 Rondeli Foundation, in cooperation with the Romanian Embassy in Georgia, hosted a discussion on "Three Seas Initiative (3SI): The right time and right place for the 3SI to be discussed in Georgia."

The purpose of the discussion was to expand the platform of the "Three Seas Initiative" and promote dialogue among the interested parties.
The discussion was led by Alex Petriashvili, Senior Fellow at Rondeli Foundation. The participants of the discussion were addressed by the opening remarks delivered by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Teimuraz Janjalia. The main speakers of the event were Associate Professor of Kyiv University, Victoria Vdovichenko, Romanian Ambassador to Georgia, Razvan Rotundu, Lithuanian Ambassador to Georgia, Andrius Kalindra, Secretary General of the European Union-Georgia Business Council, Zviad Chumburidze and former senior analyst of the Polish Institute of Foreign Affairs, Arkadiusz Legic.

It should be noted that such platforms as the "Three Seas Initiative" are significant for countries that strive for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, in particular, for Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova. Thus, as a Black Sea coastal state, it is natural for Georgia to participate in this initiative. Moreover, it is planned to involve Georgia in energy and digital infrastructure projects. It will be a regional cooperation that includes the member states of the Black Sea and the Adriatic Sea, and in the future, it is meant to deepen the collaboration with the Baltic Sea countries.

The participants discussed the ways of cooperation with the "Three Seas Initiative" platform for countries such as Georgia and Ukraine. The increasing importance of this platform was emphasized after February 24, 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale aggression in Ukraine.

The Romanian Ambassador participating in the discussion noted that another summit will be held in Bucharest on September 6, 2023, and expressed hope that the representatives of Ukraine and Georgia will take an active part in it; The Ambassador of Lithuania announced that next year Lithuania will take up the presidency and in turn, will put all efforts to reduce the Russian influence in the relations among the countries of the "Three Seas Initiative." The Polish expert spoke about the military and political importance of the platform and the aspects of its development in this direction. At the same time, the Secretary General of the EU-Georgia Business Council, Zviad Chumburidze, among other topics, focused on the need to construct the Anaklia Deep Sea Port.

An engaging Q&A session followed the discussion. The participants unanimously noted that such meetings are beneficial in disseminating information about the "Three Seas Initiative" and discussing the prospects of Georgia's integration.