Georgian prime minister opens up about foreign demands to join conflict

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze revealed that Georgia had been asked on two separate occasions in February 2022 to join the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The requests, which came amid the escalating tensions, were described by Kobakhidze as politically motivated and "crude," aiming to draw Georgia into the broader geopolitical struggle, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

Speaking at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Kobakhidze emphasized that diplomacy was not a viable solution in the face of these demands.

"In February 2022, we received a request to join the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. A similar request came at the end of February 2022," he said. "There was a very crude political interest towards Georgia. Diplomacy was not useful in such a situation. We had to launch an intense political struggle to defend Georgia's national interests and peace. It was only a political struggle without any diplomacy."

The Georgian Prime Minister stressed that the country is still confronting these geopolitical challenges. "We are focused on fighting for peace and the well-being of our nation, resorting to various diplomatic methods," Kobakhidze stated.

Despite the ongoing pressures, the Prime Minister remained optimistic about the future, asserting that peace would eventually prevail. "Once peace prevails, diplomacy will once again take precedence over raw political agendas," he added, highlighting Georgia’s commitment to maintaining its sovereignty and pursuing peaceful diplomatic solutions.

By Vafa Guliyeva