Allegations of Ukrainian authorities should be dealt with “through appropriate channels” - US Ambassador

Allegations of Ukrainian authorities should be dealt with “through appropriate channels”, the United States Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan said on Wednesday regarding accusations of Ukrainian authorities on Russia smuggling sanctioned products using Georgian territory to evade international sanctions amid its invasion of Ukraine.  

These are very serious allegations and they should be dealt with through appropriate channels, government-to-government, that is the right way to investigate something like this,” Degnan said.

The US diplomat said Russia was “the only one who is benefiting by this back and forth attacks”, adding  the Georgian Government had committed itself to not allowing Georgia to be used for evasion of sanctions.

She also called the international sanctions on Russia “a powerful tool”, noting such instruments were “designed” to pressure President Vladimir Putin to stop the war  in Ukraine. The “unity and enforcement” of sanctions are critical to keeping the pressure on the Russian leader, Degnan noted.

The Ministry of Finance of Georgia said on Monday the information on Russia creating smuggling channels for sanctioned products using Georgian territory was “a completely baseless and absurd accusation”.

The Georgian side has “categorically” urged the Ukrainian counterparts to present evidence of the accusation of Ukrainian officials, Lasha Darsalia, the Deputy Foreign  Minister, said on Wednesday.