Zelensky joined Three Seas Initiative summit
Photo: OPU
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, took part in the online summit of the Three Seas Initiative and put forward some proposals for cooperation with the countries of the initiative.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, said this in his speech at the opening of the Three Seas Summit, which was broadcast on United News telethon.
"We suggest: first – Ukraine should be a participant in the Three Seas initiative. It is wrong that our country remained outside. We need to find a format in which to implement accession. Just one look at the map of our region is enough to understand that only with Ukraine all other countries can realize their potential: economic, infrastructural, as well as the social ties potential between our countries, people, and the historical foundations of life in our region," said the President.
Zelensky put forward several proposals.
In particular, he suggested strengthening the interpretation of cooperation within the Three Seas.
"Every area we can work on together under this initiative is really about security, and above all, it is logistics," Zelensky said.
According to him, today, Ukraine is connected to the world by the states of the Three Seas, including the arms supplies to Ukraine, fuel supplies, preservation of vital transport flows, green corridors for the export of Ukrainian food, and migration of people.
"In the same way, Three Seas is destined to become an efficient rear for any country in our region, in case, God forbid, threatened by russia. When the enemy comes, everything matters — roads, railways, ports, energy systems, the speed at the borders, even the habit of working together. That is why it is our duty to deepen ties in this sphere. It is these ties, that constitute our security after all," Zelensky said.
In addition, according to him, Ukraine, having an extensive gas supply network, powerful gas storage facilities in the region, in cooperation with neighbors, using the power of interconnectors Poland-Slovakia, Poland-Ukraine, and existing LNG terminals in the region can meet the needs of all countries of the Three Seas.
Also, Zelensky noted that after Ukraine's energy system joins the EU's energy systems, Ukraine's electricity exports could help the Three Seas Initiative countries become completely independent of russia's energy pressure.
The fourth proposal is to join Ukraine to the Via Carpatia motorway, where Ukraine could play the role of one of the logistics centers. In addition, according to the President, Ukraine is ready to integrate into the European railway network, in particular through the Warsaw-Kyiv railway line and access to the Rail Baltica railway corridor. Ukraine will continue to work on expanding checkpoints on the border of our state.
According to Zelensky, the fifth proposal is Ukraine's support for infrastructure projects in the digitalization field and strengthening regional digital ties.
The President called participation in the project of Ukraine's reconstruction another area of cooperation.
"This will be the largest economic project of our generation," Zelensky said.
Reference
The leaders of the Three Seas Initiative (Three Seas) summit will discuss cooperation with Ukraine on June 20-21 in Riga.
The Three Seas Initiative was launched in 2015 by the Presidents of Poland, Andrzej Duda, and Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic. It was created as a partnership bloc from the Baltic to the Black and Adriatic Seas, aimed to deepen the integration of Central and Eastern Europe. The project brings together 12 Central and Eastern European countries that are members of the EU: four Visegrad countries, the Baltic countries, Austria, Croatia, Romania, Slovenia, and Bulgaria. The main focus of the Initiative is the development of infrastructure projects.
