A just and lasting peace in Ukraine is necessary not only for the Ukrainian people, but also for ensuring stability in Europe and the Black Sea region, the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, said in his speech at the 66th General Assembly of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC).

As Shalva Papuashvili noted, the last few years have been the most difficult for the BSEC - the Russian war in Ukraine and the subsequent events in the Black Sea region have had a serious impact on the organization's activities.

“Despite the difficulties, we have managed to maintain the functioning of the organization and use this special format to promote dialogue, exchanges and important outcomes for our countries and the region.

In recent years, the importance of the Black Sea region has noticeably increased in strategic, economic and security terms. Our geographical space, connecting Europe and Asia, has always been at the crossroads of civilizations, and today, despite many challenges and a difficult geopolitical environment, we must unite our efforts to cooperate in all areas that will make our region more stable, secure and developed. In this regard, peace is the most fundamental prerequisite. Long-term peace is not only a desirable condition, but also the foundation on which prosperity, resilience and shared growth should be built. A just and sustainable peace in Ukraine is necessary not only for the Ukrainian people, but also for ensuring the stability of Europe and the Black Sea region. Therefore, we reaffirm our support for the efforts towards a comprehensive peace based on international law and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states,” Papuashvili said.

He also highlighted a historic opportunity for the wider region: the ongoing efforts to reach a lasting peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

“Peace has already been achieved on the ground, transforming the security landscape of the South Caucasus and opening up enormous potential for the entire Black Sea region in terms of economic and connectivity.

We also welcome the steps taken to normalize relations between Armenia and Turkey,” said Shalva Papuashvili.