Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has criticized Ukraine’s policy toward Georgia, following a meeting between Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the 8th Summit of the European Political Community in Yerevan.
Papuashvili claimed that Zelensky’s decision to engage in talks with Kobakhidze demonstrates that what he described as “unjust policies” are ineffective.
“Zelensky’s initiative to speak to the Georgian Prime Minister indicates that any policy which is unjust from the beginning is doomed to failure,” Papuashvili said.
He pointed out that despite Kobakhidze reportedly remaining on a Ukrainian sanctions list, the Ukrainian president still held talks with him, which, the Speaker claimed, reflects inconsistency in Kyiv’s approach.
“Zelensky keeps Irakli Kobakhidze on the sanctions list. However, he had to go and talk to him himself. This shows how incorrect the Ukrainian government’s policy has been toward the Georgian people,” Papuashvili stated.
The Speaker added that Georgia maintains what he described as a policy of “unilateral friendship,” including toward countries whose policies Tbilisi considers unfair.
“We have always said that we remain in the format of unilateral friendship, not only with Ukraine, but also with all governments that have an unjust policy against Georgia. Whoever took the wrong step regarding Georgia will realize their mistake. We are ready to review all these relations,” he said.
Prime Minister Kobakhidze met President Zelensky on May 4 on the sidelines of the EPC summit in Yerevan. The Georgian government announced that the meeting was initiated by the Ukrainian side and focused on bilateral relations.
Related story: Georgian PM, Ukrainian president hold talks at EPC summit in Yerevan
