PM reaffirms “solidarity” with Ukrainian people, highlights “great significance of peace”

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday once again expressed his solidarity with the Ukrainian people as the ongoing war in the country entered its third year, and highlighted the “great significance of peace”.

In his remarks at a Government meeting, Kobakhidze noted the Ukrainian people had “fallen victim” to the Russian military aggression. 

On February 24, two years passed since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. Once again, I express my solidarity with our friendly Ukrainian people, who fell victim to the Russian military aggression. Too many Ukrainian soldiers and civilians have been killed, including hundreds of children. More than ten million Ukrainians have become displaced persons or refugees, the vast majority of whom are women and children”, he said. 

“Ukraine's economy and infrastructure have been destroyed, today two and a half times more [Ukrainian] territory is under [Russian] occupation than before the start of the war. All this reminds us how great the price of peace is”, the PM continued. 

The Government head claimed his country had “also gone through a kind of war” during these two years by alleging a “war against the domestic radical opposition and its friends to maintain peace” in the country.

Thank God the [Georgian] state won in this most difficult war - the Government won, and our country enjoys peace today, which creates the basis for further progress and further development of our country”, Kobakhidze told the meeting. 

The Georgian PM also commemorated the 103rd anniversary of the 1921 Soviet occupation of the country, by saying the date reminded the public of the “great” price of independence.

“A century ago, the Russian Army was led into Georgia by ethnic Georgians, but [they were] people without a homeland - the Bolsheviks, for whom the concept of a homeland was strange. All this reminds us how much we should be cautious about such people, for whom living without national or other identity has become the main principle of life”, Kobakhidze said.

He further stressed protecting the country’s independence was the “responsibility of each of us”.