Parliament vice speaker: US, EU must distance themselves from Ukraine gov’t calls for Georgia to “engage in war”

Gia Volski, a ruling party MP and the vice speaker of the Georgian parliament, on Tuesday called on the United States and the European Union to “distance themselves” from statements from some Ukrainian government figures about the need to “see Georgia engage in war” amid the Russian invasion of Ukrainian territory.

The United States and the European Union must distance themselves from the statements we hear every day from Ukraine about the need to [see Georgia] engage in war, [for an] overthrow [of] the [Georgian] government and bring[ing] in [of] a government capable of starting a war”, the parliament official said. 

On September 8, Irakli Kobakhidze, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, said the “only interest” of “certain representatives” of the Ukrainian government was to “somehow turn Georgia into a second front” amid the Russian invasion. 

• Ruling party head alleges “certain representatives” of Ukrainian Gov’t want to “turn Georgia into second front” of war with Russia

In his remarks over the matter, Kobakhidze stressed Georgian citizens “do not want a war and a second front”, and added the government would “defend this position as much as possible”.