European Council President Charles Michel on Friday expressed support for Georgia's European integration during a meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on the sidelines of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai. 

In his social media post, Michel commended Georgia's dedication to the EU path and underscored the bloc's commitment to the country, acknowledging the progress made on the reform agenda, stating, "Georgia’s commitment to the EU path remains strong. And I reaffirmed to PM Gharibashvili the EU’s commitment to Georgia". 

The discussions centered on Georgia's European integration process, with particular emphasis on the European Commission's recent recommendation to the Council to grant the country EU membership candidate status.

Garibashvili briefed Michel on the strides made by his government in implementing necessary reforms and addressing the conditions outlined by the EU. He highlighted the positive assessment from the European Commission and expressed anticipation for a “favorable decision” from the European Council on the candidate status on December 15. 

The meeting also touched upon collaborative prospects, with Michel acknowledging Georgia's efforts and expressing confidence in the positive outcomes of their continued cooperation. Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili described the exchange as "very interesting" and emphasized the importance of frequent communication between the two leaders to achieve concrete results.

He noted the recent positive recommendation from the European Commission had elevated expectations within Georgia, with the anticipated candidate status seen as a “crucial milestone” that would usher in a new chapter in the country's relationship with the EU. 

Darchiashvili highlighted the latest exchange between Garibashvili and Michel and claimed it would bring a "new impetus" to the cooperation between Georgia and the bloc. 

Garibashvili also updated Michel on the action plan recently adopted by the Government Commission, outlining the steps to meet the European Commission conditions for opening accession talks with Tbilisi following the granting of candidate status.