The President of the European Council Donald Tusk promised Georgia assistance in the implementation of the peace initiative "A Step for a Better Future". He made statements supporting this initiative after the meeting with Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze, who met with the President of the Council of Europe during the visit in Brussels.

At the joint press conference, Donald Tusk spoke about the importance of the peace initiative and said that Georgia is situated in a challenging neighbourhood, where it plays a crucial role as facilitator and bridge builder. 

"As we will soon be commemorating the 10th anniversary of the war between Georgia and Russia in August 2008, let me reiterate the European Union's unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders.

It is important to note that in these past ten years, Georgia has succeeded in strengthening its democratic institutions and developing a thriving economy. The European Union will continue to provide support to Georgia and to reinforce the country's resilience and capacity to find a peaceful resolution of the conflicts.

In this context, we welcome the initiative "A step to a better future", which provides people living in Abkhazia and South Ossetia with new trade and education opportunities. We stand ready to provide further assistance to support its implementation”, - said Donald Tusk.

The Prime Minister of Georgia talked about the role of the European Union in terms of promoting peace and stability in Georgia and expressed his gratitude for the extension of the EU Monitoring Mission mandate.

"Let me express our deep gratitude because of prolongation of the EU Monitoring Mission mandate. Unfortunately, occupation and factual annexation of Georgas’s territories by Russia still continuous after 10 years since the August 2008 war. This fact worsen the security and human rights situation for those affected by the conflict.

"We are committed to peace policy. The Georgian government is carrying out concrete attempts to reconcile and build trust, which is set out in our new peace initiative "A Step for a Better Future", - said Mamuka Bakhtadze.