Irakli Garibashvili, Georgia's prime minister, has signed an application to join the European Union.

Irakli Kobakhidze, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, declared on March 2 that Georgia will seek for EU membership, following Ukraine's lead.

In a special briefing on March 2 evening, MP Kobakhidze said, "we urge on the EU bodies to assess our application in a timely way and to make the decision to award Georgia the status of an EU membership candidate."

According to him, the Georgian Dream took a political choice "considering the entire political environment and new realities, based on talks with the party's political council members and, first and foremost, the Prime Minister."

"A robust application in 2024, supported by new reforms, as the Georgian Dream's electoral platform predicted, would have had an advantage against applying hurriedly," he added.

The ruling party's head also claimed that the GD administration had achieved "many significant successes on the path to integration with the EU," such as signing the Association Agreement in 2014 and achieving visa-free status in 2017.

Integration with the EU, according to MP Kobakhidze, is a "road that shall lead our nation to overcome poverty, to a qualitative rise in the well-being and security of our citizens, and to de-occupation."

Romania wants Georgia to join the EU

In the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Romania has expressed support for Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova joining the European Union.

"The position of these EU partners is within the European family," Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said "and Romania will do everything it can to make this a reality."

Meanwhile, Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu stated that the EU "cannot be whole" without the three nations. He went on to say, "they deserve full membership."

Amid Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine formally registered for EU membership on February 28, demanding for the country's quick entrance via a "new special process."

While the Georgian government has yet to respond, Maka Bochorishvili, Chair of the Parliamentary European Integration Committee, voiced her optimism that EU member states will consider awarding Georgia candidate status alongside Ukraine.

Georgia's plans to join the 27-member bloc are already "well known" to European allies, according to the Georgian Dream MP.

Georgian and Moldovan FMs discuss Ukraine and EU ambitions

David Zalkaliani and Nicu Popescu, the Georgian and Moldovan foreign ministers, spoke by phone about their nations' aspirations for EU membership and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Zalkaliani said that the sides resolved to operate in concert in support of Georgia's and Moldova's European aspirations.

Georgia and Moldova have refused to join international sanctions imposed on Russia because of the Ukraine conflict.

The Associated Trio, which includes the two nations and Ukraine, was formed in 2021 with the goal of pursuing EU membership jointly.

On February 28, Ukraine submitted its application to the EU, requesting a "special new mechanism" to expedite its road to membership.