GD head: Gov't sending volunteers to Ukraine would mean direct involvement in the conflict

Allowing volunteers from Georgia to fight in Ukraine would mean a direct involvement in the conflict, "which we will not do", the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) Party Chairman Irakli Kobakhidze said on Tuesday.

Kobakhidze was responding to controversy over the government's refusal to allow volunteers to board flights to Ukraine with the goal of taking up arms and getting involved in hostilities. The GD leader said a state involvement in organising such ventures would mean sending a military force.

• GD head: support for Ukraine is a responsibility “both in word and deed”

This would mean the government allowing the sending of volunteers to join the war, which, in turn, would mean a direct involvement of Georgia in the conflict,” Kobakhidze said.

The Party Chairman stressed neither the United States nor the European Union were involved in the clashes in Ukraine.

• GD MP: Georgia condemns Russia's military aggression, expresses solidarity with Ukrainian people

It was directly stated that the American and European militaries would not be taking part in the war. Can we decide whether Georgia should become part of a hot war? The people who stage provocations in Georgia on a daily basis want Georgia to become part of the hot war, which we will not allow,” he added.

Ukraine recalled its ambassador from Georgia for consultations on Tuesday, with President Volodymyr Zelensky citing the Georgian government's refusal to allow volunteers to take part in the conflict as the reason for the move.