Parliament official: Georgia was “first victim” of Russian aggression

Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, on Monday said the country had been the “first victim” of Russian aggression and added the Government had warned its Western partners about the continued threat from the Kremlin following the 2008 conflict. 

Speaking to the Uruguayan newspaper El Pais on his first South American visit, Samkharadze said Russia had used “exactly the same playbook” in Ukraine as it did in Georgia in the five-day war between the two states 15 years ago.

He also noted his country had had three wars with Russia that involved the latter either directly or indirectly, over the last 30 years.

We were the first victim of Russian aggression, and in the last 30 years we have had three wars with Russia, with its direct or indirect participation. We have told our partners in the West, especially the EU and the US, that if Russia was not stopped, Georgia was not going to be the last place it would attack. Unfortunately we were right. Russia attacked again. But we were not surprised”, Samkharadze said.

“Russia used exactly the same playbook in Ukraine as in Georgia. [...] Georgia's partners in the West, in the EU and in NATO better understand our concerns and understand now that without security in Georgia there is no security in the Black Sea [region], and without security in the Black Sea [region] there is no security in Europe”, the Parliament official noted.

The official also stressed the Georgian Government had supported Ukraine in all international platforms since the Russian invasion.

We have received more than 30,000 Ukrainian [refugees] in Georgia, who are provided with care, housing and transportation by the Georgian Government. Georgia is the only country that has opened schools with [classes] in Ukrainian [language]. In political, diplomatic and humanitarian terms, we have supported Ukraine as we could, and we support the struggle for its sovereignty”, he said.

The Parliament official also added it was “impossible to be neutral in today's world, especially in our region”.

He told the newspaper countries faced the choice of being in “one alliance or the other”, and added NATO membership was a “clear opportunity” for Georgia as “85% of our citizens want [the country] to be a member of the alliance and of the EU”.