Georgian president: Russia gains more from working with Europe than from attacking its neighbours

How should the EU interact with its neighbours to the east? Georgian president Giorgi Margvelashvili shared his views when he joined the foreign affairs committee on 11 May to discuss the Eastern Partnership ahead of the summit in Riga on 21-22 May. We spoke to him afterwards to ask how the partnership is working out for his country and how the EU should deal with Russia.

Is the Eastern Partnership functioning as it should? Is there anything that could be improved?

It has had a positive impact on Georgia, not only because we reached the association agreement, but also because it gave us opportunities and mechanisms for reforming our economy, society and our political system and for engaging more actively with our European partners.

The partnership was based on proper principles, giving more for more. If you wanted to do more, you are getting more.

We have to maintain the agenda and the spirit of the Eastern Partnership, which is going to bring prosperity, stability and a better future, not only to the countries of the Eastern Partnership, but also to their neighbours, including Russia, if they get involved.

How should the EU deal with Russia?

The policy of engaging with Russia and making it a more European country and giving it an opportunity for economic, cultural, social and political partnerships is the right thing to do. Russia has great potential, a great culture and a significant economy.

What the Russian Federation needs is a better democracy, a reformed economy and it needs to move towards modernising society. These issues are not solved by attacking your neighbours, but by working together with Europeans.

REF. : 20150511STO54557

Updated: ( 14-05-2015 - 17:55)