Ukraine’s dreams about a two-tiered approach to the Eastern Partnership are beginning to materialize. Pursuing its realpolitik strategy of small alliances, this year saw the country create the Association Trio with Moldova and Georgia, an alliance with ambitions to join the next wave of EU enlargement. How realistic are those plans and what can the Trio change on the geopolitical chessboard?
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Yuliia Rudenko: The alliance of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova
This handout photograph released by Georgia's President Press service on July 19, 2021 shows (From L) Georgia's President Salome Zurabishvili, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European Council chief Charles Michel addressing a conference during a summit in Georgia's Black Sea city of Batumi. - The leaders of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine on July 19 were set to hold a summit with European Council chief Charles Michel as the ex-Soviet republics jointly pursue EU membership bids. Seeking to slide out from under Moscow's orbit, the eastern European nations set up the Associated Trio diplomatic format in May, seeking to harness their efforts and jointly advance their EU membership aspirations. (Photo by - / Georgia's Presidential press service / AFP)
