On February 18th, 2024, Georgian President Salome Zourabishvili participated in the panel discussion titled “A Deeper, Wider and More Capable EU?” at the Munich Security Conference (MSC). The panel, moderated by Timothy Garton Ash, Professor of European Studies at the University of Oxford, featured notable figures such as Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine; Gabrielius Landsbergis, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania; Radoslaw Sikorski, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland; and Emmanuel Bonne, Diplomatic Advisor to the G20 and G7 of France. 

During the discussion, President Zourabishvili underscored the imperative nature of EU membership for Georgia, emphasizing its critical role in ensuring the country's security. She also highlighted the broader significance of EU enlargement in bolstering the Union's own security framework. In her remarks, Zourabishvili pointed to the historical context, citing previous enlargements that not only enhanced the security of the new member states but also contributed to the overall security of the EU. Furthermore, President Zurabishvili emphasized the strategic importance of the Black Sea region, particularly in light of Russia's 2007 declaration to obstruct Western influence in the area, subsequent events such as the war in Georgia and the annexation of Crimea, as well as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. These developments served to underscore the pressing need for a comprehensive approach to security in the region. 

"This is a necessity. The need for security and this is the only perspective for a country that shares European values. But today, safety may be the key. The need for security is something that the EU should also feel. Can anyone imagine what the current war in Ukraine would be like if there were no Poland, Baltic countries, Romania, Bulgaria in the EU? So the previous enlargement provided in fact additional security for the whole EU and the next enlargement, our enlargement will be an added security value for the EU and for us. This is solidarity and shared values. We have a very important common security issue that we don't talk about enough, and that is the Black Sea. What Russia is doing now is what it announced in 2007 - that it would not allow the West to enter the Black Sea. What happened after 2007: in Georgia in 2008, then in Crimea and then the war in Ukraine. So, it announced what it was going to do it and he is doing it. So, I think it is in the best interest of the European Union and, of course, for Georgia, for our security, for our connection with Europe, that Russia is not an exclusive power in the Black Sea, which it is trying to do, and that is important. It is also important for future communications, which will be so important for transportation and energy security in the coming years and decades, we must avoid this," - said the President.

During the panel, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski directed specific attention to President Zourabishvili, acknowledging former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili as a symbol of Georgia's modernization and emphasizing the importance of upholding the rule of law in his case, suggesting that Zurabishvili's influence could contribute to securing a fair treatment for Saakashvili.