The Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, comprised of 60 MEPs and 10 members from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, meets in Chișinău, Moldova, for its 10th Ordinary Session. They discuss the impact of the war in Ukraine on the Eastern Partnership.

EU - Moldova (T)

Euronest (T)

Moldova

10th Ordinary Session of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly: atmosphere shots, arrivals and extracts from the opening speeches

Arrivals of Maia SANDU, President of Moldova; meeting with Igor GROSU, Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament, Andrius KUBILIUS (EPP,LT), Co-President of Euronest PA with Helmut SCHOLZ (The Left,DE), Maria GRAPINI (S&amp;D,RO) and Siegfried MUREŞAN (EPP,RO) and other from the delegation (6 shots)

SOUNDBITE (English), Andrius KUBILIUS (EPP, LT), co-Chair of Euronest PA, I am very happy that we have here both President Maia Sandu and Speaker of the Parliament Igor Grosu, and this is a parliamentary gathering all in the Assembly, admiring what you are doing here in Moldova for the benefit not only of Moldovan people, but for the benefit of the whole Europe. Thanks a lot.

SOUNDBITE (Romanian), Igor GROSU, Speaker of Moldovan Parliament, Welcome to Chisinau! It is an honour for us to host such a large-scale event, which takes place for the first time in Chisinau. 10th ordinary session of the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly. And the context in which we find ourselves is all the more important. Unfortunately. For a year now we have a war a few kilometers away from us. At the same time, for the first time we participate with the status of EU candidate country.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maia SANDU, President of Moldova, As we gathered here today, we are united in our shared vision of a Europe that is peaceful, stable, prosperous and democratic. We recognize that,achieving this vision requires a renewed commitment to deepening cooperation and integration between the EU and the Eastern Partnership countries in a political context of unprecedented challenges that our region faces today. Today's reunion will focus on our European integration agenda, on our security cooperation in a region marked by the war, and on how we manage the social and energy crisis caused by Russia's brutal war against Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, (video message) Over the years, the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly has helped us to understand each other's realities and has brought us closer because of it. It has provided a forum for constructive criticism, but also to give due praise for one another's successes. It has facilitated agreement on difficult solutions to challenges that have been common to us all, and especially in this last year. It has enabled us to reflect on very difficult geopolitical issues and to show solidarity with Ukraine and its people. We respect and are ready to support you in your respective ambitions when it comes to your relationship with the European Union. Whether that is in your aspirations for EU membership or through strengthened cooperation with the European Union, we will continue to advance on the EU candidate status with the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (English), Andrius KUBILIUS (EPP, LT), co-Chair of Euronest PA, This is the first Session of Euronest parliamentary assembly during the war. Madam President, you spoke in a very clear language about what does it mean, this war for all of us. It's really geopolitical earth quake, as you named it. And it brings tectonic changes for the whole region and for the whole European continent. Ukraine's success as the success of other Eastern Partnership countries, can be built in the same way as the success of Central Europe of our countries was created in 1998 through integration to the EU. And I would like to stress again and again that this is the only way and always the success of countries, especially in the post-Soviet area, can be created.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ina COSERU, co-Chair of Euronest PA, Year of 2022 brought us the historical decision of granting to the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine the status of EU candidate countries. On the 24th of February 2022, we woke up with an unprovoked and unjustified war of Russia against Ukraine, which changed the security landscape in Europe. And thinking to my relatives who leave in different cities of Ukraine, I could understand very well the horror which they feel on their skin.