Georgia applies for EU membership

Georgia formally applied to join the European Union on Thursday, Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili announced while signing the application."Application for EU membership is yet another milestone on the path of European integration of Georgia,” he said.

Georgia's application comes two days after Ukraine said it was seeking fast-track membership to the bloc in light of Russia's special military operation last week. Initially Georgia was planning to submit its application to join the EU in 2024.

Any membership application and consideration is a process that would take many years and involve fundamental political adjustments, ranging from trade, to rule of law measures and anti-corruption commitments.