Parliament Speaker highlights support for Ukraine “on all platforms”
In an interview with PalitraNews, Papuashvili said “no country” had crossed their own limits on risks of confrontation with Russia in their responses to the conflict that broke out in late February. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday said the Georgian Government had managed to provide “full solidarity” to Ukraine in its defence from the ongoing Russian invasion while ensuring security of its own citizens.
In an interview with PalitraNews, Papuashvili said “no country” had crossed their own limits on risks of confrontation with Russia in their responses to the conflict that broke out in late February.
No country has crossed the threshold of escalation [to the point] that they think would lead to a confrontation with Russia. Of course, it is difficult to say exactly where this line is - it is politics and it is difficult to determine it. This is the difficulty that our Government is facing, to see this line at the right time and to ensure that Georgia is not directly involved in a military conflict”, Papuashvili said.
“All countries are trying, on the one hand, to be supportive [to Ukraine], and on the other hand, not to aggravate the issue so much and not to enter into such a spiral that will lead to a direct military confrontation with Russia”, he pointed out.
[U]nlike all the other countries that are on Ukraine's side, [we] do not have the security umbrella of NATO, we do not have the umbrella of economic solidarity of the European Union, and a contingent of the Russian armed forces is present on our territory”, Papuashvili also noted in reference to the ongoing Russian occupation of two Georgian regions.
The head of the legislative body also noted the Georgian Government had co-authored the International Criminal Court appeal that called for an investigation of war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine.
The official also stressed the Government’s support for Ukraine was “visible on all platforms” and said its position was “exactly the same” as that of EU and NATO member countries supporting Ukraine in the conflict.
Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday highlighted the links between Ukrainians and Georgians in understanding the “cost of peace”, in his end-of-year message on the work of his office.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday reaffirmed his Government's support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in its ongoing war with Russia, as well as for seeing an end to the war “in the shortest time possible”.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday noted the “difficulty” of the past year on the international scene and noted developments throughout 2022 had compelled the country’s Government to ensure efforts in territorial integrity, expansion of partnerships and promotion of peace, security and prosperity in the neighbourhood.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday said he stood with Georgia as a “defender” of the country’s interests and he would always be, as it has been an obligation of all Georgian citizens to “think about the country”.
Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili on Friday said there was “no threat” of illegal activity or violations of sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine from Georgian-based businesses that involved Russian capital.
Givi Mikanadze, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday called a comment by Andriy Kasyanov, a representative of the Ukrainian Embassy to Georgia, on Ukraine’s request of a missile system delivery from Georgia “another attempt to drag Georgia into the war” in the country.
Irakli Kadagishvili, the Chair of the Rules and Procedural Issues Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, on Tuesday said the charge d'affaires of Ukraine to Georgia, Andriy Kasyanov’s “shocking” statement on Tbilisi’s refusal to provide arms for Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia had been instructed by Ukrainian Government, as the diplomat would not make such statements “independently”.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili and Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday sent their condolences following the crash of a helicopter in Brovary, an eastern suburb of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, that killed 18 including the country’s Interior Minister and senior law enforcement officials.
Ukrainian citizens living in Georgia, as well as locals, gathered at a solidarity rally on Sunday on the occasion of the Ukrainian Unity Day on the Bridge of Peace in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi.