Georgian Speaker vows steady support for Ukrainians despite "Zelenskyy's hostile policy"

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has pledged continued support for the Ukrainian people despite the "hostile policy" that the Ukrainian authorities pursue against the Georgian people.

“We have repeatedly stated that, despite the hostile policy pursued by the Ukrainian authorities towards the Georgian people, we remain committed to supporting the Ukrainian people,” Papuashvili said, Caliber.Az reports via Georgian media.

Papuashvili emphasised that from the very first day of the war, Georgia has done everything possible to support the Ukrainian people.

“The only surprising thing, given the ingratitude shown by the Ukrainian authorities, and in particular President Zelenskyy, toward the Georgian people, is that the Georgian government continues to support such decisions and measures. But for us, the benchmark is not President Zelenskyy, who pursues an openly hostile policy against Georgia and the Georgian people. Our benchmark is the Ukrainian people, whom we want to stand by during this difficult period. We act not out of fear of offending anyone, but based on the national interests of the Georgian people. We take steps that align with our interests and do not undermine our main priorities. Georgia could not be used as a tool to ignite a ‘ring of fire’ around Russia or become a puppet, just as some forces are using Ukraine as a pawn against Russia,” Papuashvili said.

He added that the U.S. Secretary of State also confirmed that the conflict should be seen as a puppet war.

“Some wanted us to become an instrument in a puppet war, and now, as is happening with Ukraine, there are complaints about where to get the money. If they cannot access Russia’s sovereign assets, what is their Plan B? The Belgian Prime Minister even said that during World War II no one could touch the assets of Nazi Germany. It’s not that they don’t want to — they cannot, and that’s the problem: they have no Plan B. If they cannot even do this, what do they do? Spend their own money? They are not going to spend their own money. For those in Georgia who worship foreign powers and pray under a foreign flag, the Georgian authorities’ decisions are of course incomprehensible. They think that waving the Ukrainian flag is the right way — that is their example of behaviour. So they are surprised. In reality, they do not understand that we support the Ukrainian people, despite the hostile policies that President Zelenskyy pursues against the Georgian people, and despite the ingratitude he has personally shown toward the Georgian people in various decisions,” Papuashvili concluded.

By Khagan Isayev