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‘Double Standard’ – Kobakhidze Slams Kyiv’s Ambassador Move

Georgian Dream chairperson Irakli Kobakhidze has evaluated Ukrainian authorities’ decision to recall ambassador from Tbilisi as a “double standard that shall, naturally, have an explanation.”

MP Kobakhidze said today Georgia was not the only nation to refuse either joining the sanctions against Russia or the involvement in sending volunteer fighters to Ukraine, hence these reasons could not have explained Kyiv’s decision.

He said Moldova, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Israel also refused sanctions against Russia, while Poland and the UK refused to participate in sending volunteer fighters in Ukraine, but Ukraine refrained from recalling ambassadors from these countries.

“The culmination of illogicality is the fact that Ukrainian government has not recalled their ambassador even from Belarus, whose territory Russia uses to militarily intervene [in Ukraine].”

“It is also illogical that the authorities of the country in a war may have damaging relations with Georgia as one of their major [tasks],” he said.

Ex-UNM Officials Influenced Decision, He Says

Doubling down on the yesterday’s reasoning, MP Kobakhidze claimed there was “an evident coordinated attempt to drag Georgia into the armed conflict.”

The further claimed “that attempt from Georgia is coordinated by the United National Movement, that as everyone knows has multiple of its representatives in the Ukrainian authorities, including the inner circle of President [Zelenskyy].”

He recalled that Davit Arakhamia, Ukraine’s chief negotiator and President Zelenskyy’s trusted man, has links with jailed ex-Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.

“Within Ukrainian authorities former Prosecutor General Zurab Adeishvili and other Georgian criminals are occupying some quite high positions,” he went on, adding that jailed Saakashvili formally remains a Ukrainian official.

“In these circumstances, they can naturally easily influence the decisions of the Ukrainian authorities,” he alleged.

“Georgia Will Continue Supporting Ukraine”

Despite the decision by the Ukrainian authorities, Georgia will continue supporting political and humanitarian support of the Ukrainian State, Kobakhidze underlined.

“Our position over supporting Ukraine politically will be unwavering.”

“For us, Ukraine is not Mikheil Saakashvili, Zurab Adeishvili, Gia Lortkipanidze or Davit Arakhamia, but the Ukrainian people in the first place, that deserves sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence and freedom,” the ruling party chair stated.

MP Kobakhidze’s remarks came in the same press briefing, in which he announced the decision to follow Ukraine’s suit and apply for EU membership tomorrow.

Ukraine recalled its Ambassador to Georgia over the “immoral position” of Irakli Garibashvili’s cabinet on Russia sanctions and Tbilisi’s refusal of a chartered flight to transport volunteers to Ukraine.

“Our diplomats are implementing just and necessary decisions against the states that have betrayed their word and international law,” President Zelenskyy said yesterday, announcing the decision.

Both decisions by the Georgian authorities have sparked outrage in Georgia, with much of the opposition renewing pro-Kremlin accusations against the Georgian Dream government.

President Salome Zurabishvili also criticized the abrupt rejection of sanctions. “I would not have done such statement, I can say it frankly,” she told France 24channcel yesterday.

Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Tbilisi and Kyiv had begun to thaw their strained relationship throughout the last year, as Georgia’s Ambassador returned to Ukraine in April 2021, following a year-long hiatus over Zelenskyy’s decision in 2020 to appoint Saakashvili as the Chair of Ukraine’s Executive Reform Committee.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)

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