The Daily Beat: 25 January
Ukraine and Georgia summoned each other’s ambassadors in a sign of yet another diplomatic spat. Mistrust between the capitals re-surfaced after Georgian ruling party officials reacted positively to the possibility of re-opening direct flights with Moscow, broached by Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov.
President Salome Zurabishvili congratulated Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on his 45th birthday, wishing him to celebrate his next birthday in a free and united Ukraine. In her congratulatory message, the President said that Ukraine’s victory would also be Georgia’s victory. President Zurabishvili has been increasingly distancing herself from the government’s chilly stance towards the Kyiv authorities.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) requested the CoE leaders to push for the withdrawal of Russian forces from occupied territories in Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. The document proposes creating a Secretary General’s Special Representative/ focal point for these areas. The CoE leaders are slated to meet in May in Reykjavik.
EU and Georgia held the strategic dialogue meeting in Tbilisi. The reports from both sides suggested a “useful exchange” on regional security and the implications of the war on Ukraine for the South Caucasus. “The EU has continued to step up its support in strengthening Georgia’s resilience,” said EEAS Deputy Secretary General Enrique Mora.
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and the Czech Republic had a telephone conversation, discussing the status of the implementation of the EU recommendations for Georgia’s candidacy, the health condition of Mikheil Saakashvili, and the situation in Ukraine. The Czech Minister, Jan Lipavský, emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine.