Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has described a future in which Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova join the European Union together. In a recent interview with the French broadcaster LCI, she outlined the possibility of a shared accession path for the three countries and spoke about the timing being uncertain. She suggested that a simultaneous entry could occur, calling it a kind of new political upheaval in European integration moves, described as a large-scale opening for the trio that includes Moldova, Ukraine, and Georgia.
Zurabishvili made clear that she does not have a precise forecast for when this could happen, noting that the year 2030 has been raised in discussions but not confirmed as a target. The president emphasized that the process should not be treated as a bargaining chip or a mere concession for the republic. Instead, it should reflect genuine progress in all areas required for EU membership and should be based on clear benchmarks and reforms.
Before advancing this outlook, Zurabishvili highlighted the importance of candidate status in the EU accession process and warned against offering it as a symbolic gesture without real substance. She stressed that the pivotal moment for Georgia-EU relations will come with the parliamentary elections scheduled for 2024. Her view is that the results of those elections will influence Georgia’s approach to governance and its readiness to move from a system largely controlled by a single party to a broader, coalition-led model that can better meet EU expectations.
In recent times, Georgia has also seen high-level engagement with NATO structures. The NATO Military Committee has engaged with Georgian officials, signaling ongoing security discussions and alignment with Western defense frameworks alongside the EU path. These parallel conversations reflect Georgia’s broader strategic orientation toward Euro-Atlantic institutions and a deeper integration with Western governance standards.
Observers note that the scenario of a three-country accession timeline hinges on substantial reforms across multiple domains, including the rule of law, economic cohesion, administrative capacity, and democratic governance. Analysts also point out that the EU’s enlargement philosophy emphasizes credible progress and the readiness to adopt EU norms rather than symbolic commitments. The emphasis on real reform and voluntary alignment with EU standards remains central to any credible trajectory for Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine as a bloc seeking entry into the union.