Ruling party head: Georgia maintains trade relations with Russia “just like Ukraine does”
Kobakhidze noted the Georgian Government’s stance regarding the sanctions against Russia was “clear”, pointing out imposing sanctions on Russia would cause more harm to the country itself compared to Russia. Photo: Georgian Dream Press Service
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The head of the ruling Georgian Dream Party Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday said the Georgian Government maintained trade relations with Russia “just like Ukraine does” amid the latter’s ongoing invasion of Ukrainian territory.
In comments responding to criticism of the Government over its refusal to break trade ties with Russia following the invasion, Kobakhidze pointed out the European Union received 80 percent of the Russian gas via Ukraine and thus also maintained the economic relations.
Ukraine still maintains trade relations with Russia around gas supply. This is a country at war. In such a situation, it is more understandable why we maintain our trade relations with Russia. Where Ukraine maintains these relations, it is logical that we also have our positions,” the GD official said.
Kobakhidze noted the Georgian Government’s stance regarding the sanctions against Russia was “clear”, pointing out imposing sanctions on Russia would cause more harm to the country itself compared to Russia. He said Georgia’s international partners were “aware of this”.
Naturally, we cannot talk about any special expansion of these relations [trade relations with Russia], but we will maintain trade relations with the Russian Federation, as long as we do not join the sanctions,” he concluded.
Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili will feature in a conference involving international donors for Ukraine and hosted by Poland, the Government Administration said on Wednesday.
Levan Davitashvili, the Georgian Economy Minister, on Wednesday said the country was part of “all international decisions on the sanctions” imposed by the international community against Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, and adhered to the agreements with Georgia’s international partners.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday said Ukrainian state agencies were “damaging their own credibility” with statements about Russia’s ties with countries like Georgia and Hungary around the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The Georgian Government would like to ask Ukrainian authorities to take a “responsible approach” to relations established between the nations, Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, said on Monday following claims about alleged talks between Russia and Georgia over re-export of Russian goods to third countries.
Archil Talakvadze, the Georgian Parliament Vice Speaker, on Tuesday said comments by the United Kingdom Ambassador Mark Clayton confirmed there was no evidence for claims by some Ukrainian authorities about Georgia being used to bypass sanctions placed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday said there were no grounds for claims Georgia was used by Russia to bypass international sanctions imposed on the country for its invasion of Ukraine.