2008 Russia-Georgia war showed “we cannot rely on negotiations with Kremlin” - MEP

The 2008 war between Russia and Georgia showed “we cannot rely on negotiations with the Kremlin”, Anna Fotyga, a Member of the European Parliament, said ahead of the upcoming 14th anniversary of the Russian invasion that sparked the five-day war between the two states.

In her statement Fotyga stressed that the 2008 events in Georgia had implications not only for the country, but also for the entire “European peace and security agenda”.

Fourteen years ago, Russia invaded Georgia, triggering the first war of the twenty-first century in Europe. Only the strong commitment of the United States and the unity and courage of Central European leaders led by the late President of Poland Lech Kaczynski saved Georgia’s independence at the time and stopped Russian troops”, MEP said.

Today, it is clear that the 2008 events in Georgia have implications not only for that country, but also for the entire European peace and security agenda: more than 20 percent of Georgian territory is still under Russian occupation”, she continued.

Fotyga noted the ceasefire agreement brokered by the European Union had never been implemented by the “Russian aggressor”. 

The lack of will, determination and strategic thinking to force the Kremlin to unconditionally implement the ceasefire agreement and withdraw from Georgian territories are factors that have allowed the Kremlin to repeatedly violate international law and continue its aggression, as it is doing today in Ukraine”, Fotyga noted. 

MEP underlined that the European Conservatives and Reformists continued to work for Georgia to be able to fully detach itself from its Soviet past and join the EU, to which “its culture, history and tradition belong”.