Amid growing tensions in the Black Sea region, MEP Marina Kaljurand, director of the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center John E. Herbst and senior fellow at Foreign Policy Research Institute Stephen Blank have pointed out importance of a strengthened Ukraine-Georgia partnership.

“As tensions are rising around the Black Sea, security and military cooperation is a crucial domain, but partnership between Georgia and Ukraine should also encompass 'softer' areas – economy and trade, and their progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration.” Chair of the DSCA and Co-Chair of the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee, Marina Kaljurand told the Accent.

Former US Ambassador to Ukraine, director of the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center John Herbst emphasized the common interests of Ukraine and Georgia.

“Georgia and Ukraine are two countries that have embraced democracy and a western oriented foreign policy. As a result, they have both faced extreme pressure from Moscow, including war and the occupation of territory. They share an interest in working to enhance Black Sea security and seeking closer relations with NATO and the EU. They share an interest in increasing pressure on Moscow to end the occupation of their territory and, in Ukraine’s case, to end the war in Donbas”, he told the Accent.

According to senior fellow at Foreign Policy Research Institute Stephen Blank, most important is that both states continue their reform and democratization prospects that have seriously regressed.

“Undoubtedly these two states could work together on sharing military lessons of their wars with Russia, enhancing defense collaboration and intelligence sharing. But most important is that both states continue their reform and democratization prospects that have seriously regressed and the failure of which creates more opportunities for Russian subversion and threats to their integrity and sovereignty. It is only on this basis i.e. that they improve their own governance, that they stand a chance of NATO membership and EU membership and defense against Russia,” he told the Accent.

On April 15 Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili said she had planned to visit Ukraine. Later, a telephone conversation was held between the Presidents of Georgia and Ukraine. "The presidents of both countries stressed the importance of security in the Black Sea region and the need to present joint goals of Georgia and Ukraine at the NATO-EU high level meetings," the Georgian president's office said.