Zelensky ‘unafraid’ Saakashvili may oppose him
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says that the Servant of the People’s party opposed Mikheil Saakashvili’s vice premiership for reforms. Photo: Reuters.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says that he is not afraid that former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who now chairs the executive committee of Ukraine’s National Reforms Council, may one day oppose him as he did former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
Zelensky says that unlike Poroshenko, he has never been Saakashvili’s friend.
However, he noted that ‘everything is possible.’
Speaking with Ukrainskaia Pravda, Zelensky said that he offered Saakashvili the Ukrainian Vice PM’s post for reforms. However, the Servant for the People’s party went against the decision.
He said that before making the offer Saakashvili said that he was ready to support him and ‘came with several appropriate pieces of advice.’
I Initially offered him to be my advisor for reforms. However, he (Saakashvili) said that the post was not for him and stated that he could be engaged with reforms in the government as the Vice PM,” Zelensky said.
He stated that he restored Saakashvili’s Ukrainian citizenship ‘as it was fair.’
The Ukrainian Ambassador to Georgia Igor Dolgov was summoned for explanations over Saakashvili at Georgian Foreign Ministry.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry says that Saakashvili, who is wanted for several charges in Georgia, ‘continues to interfere in Georgia’s political and election issues.’
The Ukrainian Ambassador to Georgia Igor Dolgov has been summoned for explanations at the Georgian Foreign Ministry as Saakashvili said that ‘he is fighting against the current head of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili on the frontline.’
After the meeting with the Georgian FM Dolgov said that ‘Saakashvili does not represent the executive branch of the Ukrainian government, is the citizen of Ukraine, but is Georgian in origin and Georgia ‘is an important part of his life.’
He will never stop being Georgian,” Doolgov said, adding that many other issues, including coronavirus-related topics, were discussed at the meeting.
Georgian top officials have sharply opposed Saakashvili taking any post in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian ambassador to Georgia has been summoned to the Georgian Foreign Ministry as ex-President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, who now chairs the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council and is the citizen of Ukraine is ‘openly interfering in Georgian political and election issues.’
The Georgian Foreign Ministry will "monitor steps taken by the Ukrainian government" in deciding when Georgia's ambassador to the country will return to his diplomatic office. The ministry said it would follow "the process in Ukraine" and monitor steps taken by Ukraine in terms of "normalising relations with Georgia" in the near future.
The Georgian Ambassador to Ukraine Teimuraz Sharashenidze came to the Georgian Foreign Ministry for consultations earlier today due to the appointment of Georgia’s convicted ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili as chair of the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, who has appointed former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili chair of the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council, says that Saakashvili is now a Ukrainian citizen and the decision is the internal issue of the country.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili says that she is ready to visit Ukraine ‘as soon as possible’ for the ‘best future interests’ of both countries, noting that the statements made by former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who currently chairs the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council, are ‘affecting bilateral relations’.
Georgian Ambassador to Ukraine Teimuraz Sharashenidze, who was recalled from Ukraine to Georgia for consultations nearly four months ago, will return back to Ukraine when needed, Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani noted today.