US Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday welcomed Georgia's and Moldova's signing of association agreements and free-trade deals with the European Union (EU).

"The United States strongly supports the integration of Georgia and Moldova into the Euro-Atlantic community, which will spur greater economic opportunity, development and prosperity across the continent," the top American envoy said in a statement.

Georgia and Moldova inked the Association Agreements and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements, seen as a first step toward EU membership, at the conclusion of the EU's two-day Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania, Friday.

"Meeting the goals of the EU's Eastern Partnership program is one of the surest paths to a Europe 'whole and free and at peace,' " said Kerry, pledging continued US support for Georgia and Moldova in their efforts to seek greater European integration.

Kerry will visit Moldova next week during his four-day overseas trip.

The EU sought closer ties with its so-called Eastern European partner countries, namely Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, at the Vilnius summit.

The Ukrainian government, however, announced on November 21 it had suspended preparations for the signing of the association agreement with the EU during the Vilnius summit, reportedly amid pressure from Russia, and would instead opt for closer trade ties with Moscow by planning to form a tripartite trade commission with Russia and the EU.

US Vice President Joseph Biden had called Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to express his disappointment.