Ukraine invites Georgian president to Crimea Platform Summit

Acting chargé d'affaires of Ukraine in Georgia Mykhailo Kharyshyn has said that the Ukrainian government extended an invitation to Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili to attend the fourth Crimea Platform summit, scheduled to take place in Kyiv on September 11.

Georgian leaders have not visited Kyiv since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Caliber.Az reports citing Georgian media.

President Zourabichvili had planned a working visit to Ukraine in 2023 but did not receive approval from the Georgian government. She later mentioned that she had not visited Ukraine due to the lack of an invitation from her Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to the Georgian president's press service, Zourabichvili will participate in this year's Crimea Platform summit online, as she did in 2023.

President Zourabichvili participated in the Global Peace Summit, held in Switzerland at Kyiv's initiative in June 2024. During the summit, she held talks with President Zelenskyy.

Kharyshyn also mentioned that Georgia has received another invitation through parliamentary channels. The Georgian parliament members have been invited to attend the Crimea Platform Parliamentary Summit, to be held in Riga in October. Vice-Speaker, head of the Georgia-Ukraine Interparliamentary Friendship Group Archil Talakvadze represented Georgia at the event last year.

Last year, the ruling Georgian Dream party accused Zourabichvili of violating the Georgian Constitution due to her visits that were not coordinated with the government. The Constitutional Court confirmed this violation, stating that the president must consult with the Cabinet of Ministers on all foreign policy actions. Despite the court's ruling, Zourabichvili continues making visits and meet with European leaders independently.