Ukraine interested in joining Three Seas Initiative - Zelensky

Ukraine is interested in joining the Three Seas Initiative and intends to discuss the matter substantially with its Estonian partners, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

He said this at a joint briefing with Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid in Tallinn on Tuesday, November 26, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"During today's talks, we will discuss separately the implementation of the Three Seas Initiative and, most importantly, Ukraine's substantive interest in joining it," Zelensky said.

He also pointed to the adoption of a joint statement by the presidents of Ukraine and Estonia, which notes the agreed positions of the countries, the priorities of the partnership and identifies joint steps in the future.

Polish President Andrzej Duda and Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic in 2015 launched the Three Seas Initiative, i.e. the creation of a partnership bloc from the Baltic Sea to the Black and Adriatic Seas, aimed at deepening the integration of Central and Eastern European countries.

The project brings together 12 countries in Central and Eastern Europe: four Visegrad Group countries, the Baltic States, Austria, Croatia, Romania, Slovenia, and Bulgaria.

The first inaugural summit of the Three Seas Initiative was held in Dubrovnik on August 25-26, 2016. Ukraine was invited to it as well, but the country did not delegate its representative.

The second summit was held in Warsaw on July 6-7, 2017, and it was attended by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The third summit was held in Bucharest on September 17-18, 2018, and it was attended by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, and U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry.

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