Parliament Committee Chair: Ukraine war “continuation” of Russia’s 2008 aggression against Georgia
The Georgian official noted Russia’s ongoing “brutal war” was “not an isolated case but a clear attempt to redraw sovereign borders by force”. Photo: Irakli Beraia / X
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Irakli Beraia, the Chair of the Defence and Security Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, on Monday said the ongoing war in Ukraine was a “continuation” of Russia’s full-scale aggression against Georgia in 2008 and a “result of the failure of the international community” to “hold the aggressor accountable” at that time.
In his speech at the ongoing Conference on the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defence in Bruges, Beraia reiterated the Georgian Government’s “strong support” to Ukraine and “solidarity with its brave people defending their country” from the Russian aggressors.
The Georgian official noted Russia’s ongoing “brutal war” was “not an isolated case but a clear attempt to redraw sovereign borders by force”.
“As Russia wages war against Ukraine, 20 percent of my country still remains occupied, with the situation in the [Russian] occupied regions noticeably worsening”, he told the gathering.
Illegal military presence and ‘borderisation’, killings and human rights violations, de facto annexation steps and various manifestations of hybrid warfare are daily consequences of the Russian occupation. All that, along with the intention to build a naval base on our sea coast is a serious threat to European Security”, Beraia added.
Participating in CFSP/CSDP Inter-parliamentary Conference. ????????, as EU’s devoted security partner & now, the candidate country, remains committed 2 strengthening security in the region & beyond, & work closely with/ EU on implementation of goals/priorities of Strategic Compass. pic.twitter.com/z0ssivfV2m
— Irakli Beraia (@IrakliBeraiaMP) March 4, 2024
The lawmaker stressed that along with pressuring Russia to withdraw from Ukraine, it was “equally important” that de-occupation of Georgia and implementation of the 2008 European Union-mediated ceasefire agreement remained “top priority” on the European agenda.
Full-fledged European security will not be achieved if a single Russian soldier remains on Georgian soil. But, apart from pressuring Russia to withdraw, it is important to further step-up support for strengthening our defence and resilience against the full spectrum of threats and increase EU and NATO engagement in the Black Sea Region considering the latter’s strategic importance for European Security”, Beraia continued.
The Parliament Committee Chair emphasised Georgia had been “resolutely pursuing a peaceful conflict resolution policy”, as well as “ambitious democratic, security [and] EU and NATO integration agendas”.