Bearing in mind that a) EU enlargement has been one of Europe’s most successful policies and has proven the attractiveness of the European model. It has served as a driving force for reforms in many non-EU countries in Europe and remains an important response to the dual challenge of consolidating Europe’s global role and confirming its responsibility for stability and security of the continent; b) the EPP has always supported EU integration and continues to strive for the most important goal; a Europe that is “whole, free and at peace”. In 2017 the EPP Congress in Malta approved, amongst others, two strategic Resolutions: on “Western Balkans” and “On the Long-Term Support Plan for Ukraine”, which outlined a clear strategic framework with regards the next steps of EU integration; c) stability and the long-term prosperity of both Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership region are intrinsically important for the stability and prosperity of the whole European continent. As stated in the 2017 EPP Congress Resolution on Western Balkans: “The EU should not get caught up in enlargement fatigue, but should accelerate the integration process and keep alive a pro-EU spirit in the Western Balkan countries by supporting their aspirations to join the Union, on the basis of the principle of conditionality, also taking into consideration these countries´ fulfilment of the Copenhagen criteria and commitment to maintaining good neighbourly relations as well as the Union´s capacity to integrate new states”. The same principles should apply to Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, with regards European integration in the Eastern Partnership region; d) Ukraine, a country on the European continent, remains under direct military and hybrid attack from Russia, its neighbour, and part of its territory remains under illegal annexation by Russia; e) The development and security of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, immediate neighbours of the EU, have a direct impact on the EU and also wider implications for the whole European continent; f) forthcoming Presidential and Parliamentary elections in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova may become a decisive point in consolidating democracy, the rule of law and further proEuropean development; g) Russia is maintaining, and even increasing, efforts to exert influence on Ukraine and other Eastern Partnership countries, using, in particular, military, economic, political and hybrid means. Therefore, European solidarity, engagement and support are needed to counteract these threats and antidemocratic trends; h) the EPP supports the efforts made by the Western Balkan countries during the last year and supports the EU’s aim to complete negotiations and accession procedures based on the achievements of the candidate countries; that would bring stability and economic development into the region and would not allow for the destabilization of the region by third countries; i) further progress can also be achieved in the EaP region by more engagement with Ukraine and other Eastern Partnership countries, which are willing to implement the European reforms; j) the European Union and its member states should work towards bilateral and multilateral programs, which include humanitarian and economic assistance, promotion of democratic reforms and support for the long-term Ukraine’s and other EaP countries’ foreign policy objectives of European and Euro Atlantic integration; k) last year the EPP adopted its resolution regarding the long-term support Plan for Ukraine, including the “Marshall Plan for Ukraine” initiative. This political will of the EPP played a crucial role in enabling consolidation of an investment assistance policy for Ukraine by the West and encouraging further change within Ukraine; therefore, the European People’s Party: 1. reiterates its support for territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova and that it will never recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia; and condemns the occupation of the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/ south Ossetia; 2. reiterates its continuous support upon the sanctions against Russia; 3. reiterates its unequivocal support for a European perspective of the Eastern Partnership countries, which signed association agreement with the EU; 4. underlines, that the European integration process has been one of the most successful and powerful EU instruments for consolidating democratic norms and principles, for establishing functioning market economies and for achieving peace and stability; 5. recalls and stresses that the European Union is a Union of values, norms and principles and that by aspiring to join the European family, the EaP countries must adhere to and apply the EU values; 6. calls on EaP countries to refrain from any measures going against or weakening the rights of minorities; and calls on all Ukrainian political forces to refrain from ethnic-based incitement during the presidential election campaign; 7. continues to support efforts of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova to implement reforms in the areas defined by the Association Agreement, especially in fighting corruption, strengthening democracy, institutions, the rule of law and media freedom; 8. calls on the government of Moldova to assure free and democratic elections, and to stop the deterioration of the basic democratic standards in the Republic of Moldova: the rule of law, democratic institutions, independence of judiciary, media freedom, harassment of opposition; 9. expresses its concern regarding the violent attacks against the opposition in the first round of recent Presidential elections in Georgia; 10. believes that the EU’s assistance and cooperation to help Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova achieve success in reforms and the EaP region’s path to the EU should become one of the EU’s key priorities; 11. invites all EU Member States to counter by all possible means the negative and disruptive role of external actors in the EaP region; 12. calls on the EU institutions and on all EU Member States to continue their support for European or national funds and projects in connection to the economic development of the EaP region in order to curb the attempts of the Kremlin to increase its economic and political influence in the region; 13. reiterates, that the perspective of future EU enlargement to the Eastern Partnership states, depends on implementation of European reforms, as an essential condition for these countries to become successful and stable, and to contribute to the expansion of an area of mutual safety and stability in Europe; 14. stresses the need for the EU and its partners to develop a common long-term strategy towards Russia, which, in due course, would be beneficial for Russia itself; 15. recognises the importance of the success of implementing responsible and efficient policies towards Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova for the future of the EU and in building a European continent “whole, free and at peace”; 16. continues to believe, as it was stressed in its previous Resolution on the long-term support for Ukraine, that at least a decade will be needed for the EU, on one side, and Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, on another side, to prepare for the agreed decisions on the EU Membership perspective. The EPP declares its strategic goal to invest all its efforts into needed reforms and preparations, so that Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova are able to meet Copenhagen criteria.