Georgian foreign office expresses “deep concern” over Zelenskyy’s decision on Georgian Ambassador

The Georgian foreign office on Tuesday expressed its “deep concern” over the decision of the Ukrainian authorities to ask the Georgian Ambassador to leave the country for consultations in Georgia concerning the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili.

In a statement, the Georgian Ministry noted the move represented an “extreme form of escalation of diplomatic relations”, and said it was “unfortunate that official Kyiv is taking this step against a friendly state and people”.

The reason cited by the Ukrainian authorities makes this decision particularly incomprehensible. The decision of the European Court of Human Rights put an end to the speculations about the health condition of the convicted Saakashvili, which once again confirmed the highest standards of protection of Mikheil Saakashvili's rights by the state”, the statement said in reference to the ECHR ruling in May that rejected Saakashvili’s appeal for his transfer abroad for treatment.

The Georgian foreign office stressed the decision of the Ukrainian authorities “significantly harmed the strategic relations” of the two countries and was a “direct interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state”.

“We hope that official Kyiv will reconsider its decision and make efforts to further develop the historically friendly relations between the two countries. We would like to emphasise once again that Georgia's support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people is unwavering”, the body said.

Since the beginning of the war, Georgia has been providing political and humanitarian support to Ukraine both at the bilateral level and in various international formats”, the statement also noted, with the Ministry adding the Georgian diplomatic representation in Ukraine had kept working “even in the most difficult moments” following the Russian invasion last year.

“Georgia will continue to express solidarity and support for Ukraine in the future. Precisely because Ukraine is in an active phase of the war, the Georgian side, aware of its great responsibility in terms of international relations and especially towards its partners, at this stage refrains from any kind of additional reaction in response to the steps taken by Ukraine and further aggravation of bilateral relations with it, which will bring the existing already difficult situation to a dead end”, the Georgian foreign office concluded.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday called on the Georgian authorities to hand over Saakashvili to Ukraine for the “necessary treatment and care” and instructed the Ukrainian foreign office to summon the Georgian Ambassador to Ukraine, to “express our strong protest” and to ask him to leave Ukraine within 48 hours to hold consultations with his capital.