Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, most international news revolves around it. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, wrote on Twitter that one million refugees had moved from Ukraine to neighboring countries.
“In just seven days, we have witnessed the exodus of one million refugees from Ukraine to neighboring countries. For many millions more, inside Ukraine, it’s time for guns to fall silent so that life-saving humanitarian assistance can be provided,” tweeted Filippo Grandi.
The President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili had a telephone conversation with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The president wrote on Twitter: “Great telephone conversation with Secretary Antony Blinken. Concurred in our mutual support for Ukraine. Appreciate the resolute support of our United States partner to our territorial integrity, security in challenging times. Thanks to President Biden for supporting the National Accord Process. Hope for Secretary Blinken’s visit to Georgia in the near future.”
Antony Blinken thanked Zurabishvili and the Georgian people for their support of Ukraine.
“Spoke with President Salome Zurabishvili to thank her for the people of Georgia’s support for Ukraine and to underscore the firm U.S. commitment to both Ukraine and Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Blinken tweeted.
As for the Russian side, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia “does not have bad intentions towards its neighbors.”
“We do not have bad intentions towards our neighbors. I advised them not to escalate the situation, not to start with any restrictions. We fulfill and will fulfill our obligations. We do not see the need for the situation to escalate or the relationship to deteriorate. All our actions are always a direct response to the unfriendly steps against the Russian Federation.
“I think everyone should think about normalizing relations and cooperation,” he stated.
The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission is suspending its activities in Ukraine, as mentioned in a statement by the OSCE.
“The process of a temporary evacuation of all international members of the mission is almost complete. The last group – the head of the mission and the top leadership, is leaving Ukraine,” the statement said.
As for the local members of the OSCE, the organization says that another group has started to leave Kyiv.
US President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that his administration is banning Russian oil, natural gas and coal imports to the US in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“Today I am announcing that the United States is targeting the main artery of Russia’s economy. We’re banning all imports of Russian oil, gas and energy,” Biden said in a statement from the White House. “That means Russian oil will no longer be accepted at US ports and the American people will deal another powerful blow to Putin’s war machine.”
“We will not take part in subsidizing Putin’s war,” Biden added.
Reportedly, despite the growing dynamics of gas prices, the move has bipartisan political support in the US.
“The US will make the move unilaterally, without its European allies, due to disagreement among European nations about whether to ban Russian energy imports. EU countries have significantly more exposure to Russian energy than the US,” reported CNN.
Bloomberg was first to report the move.
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, wrote on Twitter that Putin may be able to take a city – but he will never be able to hold the country.
“This much is already clear: Ukraine will never be a victory for Putin. Putin may be able to take a city – but he will never be able to hold the country,” tweeted Biden.
As for Georgia, Ukrainian MFA released a statement saying that the Ministry has noted the information regarding Russia canceling part of trade sanctions against Georgia. Ukraine’s MFA says they believe the promotion of trade relations with Russia, whose armed forces are attacking peaceful Ukrainian cities with missiles and bombs, killing innocent civilians, including children, to be unacceptable in the strongest terms.
“Ukraine has noted the information regarding the cancellation of part of the Russian Federation’s trade sanctions against Georgia.
“It is underscored that the Russian Federation approved this decision against the backdrop of the Georgian authorities’ disinclination to support the new sanctions of the European Union against Russia.
“We believe the promotion of trade relations with Russia, whose armed forces are attacking peaceful Ukrainian cities with missiles and bombs, killing innocent civilians, including children, to be unacceptable in the strongest terms.
“We call on the official Tbilisi to distance itself publicly from the decision of the Russian Federation, whose leadership is violating international law and perpetrating war crimes in Ukraine.
“The conduct of business with Russian companies provides Russia with additional resources to continue its atrocious war on Ukraine, and the profit thus earned is soaked in the blood of the murdered Ukrainian citizens.
“Due to the 2008 Russian armed aggression against Georgia, the Georgian people, unfortunately, are well aware of the horrors of war that Ukrainians are forced to go through now. At the same time, it appears that the Georgian authorities must have forgotten all that and are now trying to seize the moment to cater for their own interests,” reads the statement.
David Arakhamia, chairman of the Servant of the People faction in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has also released a video address regarding the lifting of economic sanctions on Georgian milk and wine by Russia, asking the citizens of Georgia to clarify this issue with the government.
“I am Georgian and I want to remind all Georgians that when Russia treacherously attacked Georgia, Ukraine immediately, without considering its economic loss, showed all necessary support to Georgia – provided arms, helped with military instructors, to stand with a friendly, brotherly nation. In your opinion, now that Russia has already attacked Ukraine, has Georgia responded properly? Please, Georgian people, I believe in you – clarify with your government, resolve this issue, because we would not want to see such a betrayal from the Georgian people. I have always been proud to be Georgian while living in Ukraine and being in power here. I am really ashamed today,” said David Arakhamia.
The Georgian National Food Agency says the decision on importing Georgian dairy products to the Russian market was made by the Russian side on March 5. According to the decision, the Russian Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Service (Rosselkhoznadzor) allowed 15 Georgian companies to export products to the Russian market.
As the agency explained, negotiations on the export of Georgian animal products to several countries, including Russia, have been underway since 2020.
“The National Food Agency is in talks with a number of countries, including successfully concluding talks with Saudi Arabia a week ago. Negotiations have been underway with the Russian Federation since 2020, on the basis of which a decision was made to allow the export of Georgian animal products to the Russian Federation and other countries,” the statement said.
However, certain Georgian companies, including one of the biggest producers of dairy products, Sante, refused to export their products to the Russian market.
The Russian government has approved a list of countries and territories that carry out “unfriendly actions” against the country.
Georgia is not on the mentioned list.
According to the decree of the Russian Cabinet of Ministers, the list of non-friendly countries includes:
Australia, Great Britain, EU member states, Iceland, Canada, Liechtenstein, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, San Marino, Singapore, United States of America, Taiwan, Ukraine, Montenegro, Switzerland and Japan.
According to the document, the Russian Federation, Russian citizens and companies that have financial obligations to creditors of countries that are on the list of unfriendly countries, will be able to pay them in rubles.
In addition, all transactions of Russian firms with citizens and companies of listed countries will be approved by the Government Commission for Foreign Investment Control.
US Senator Cardin emphasized the dangers for Moldova & Georgia amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“If not for the strong opposition of the Ukrainians, and if Mr. Putin had taken Ukraine at the time he was planning, it would have been really dangerous for Moldova and Georgia,” United States Senator Ben Cardin said at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee discussing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Senator Ben Cardin directed the question to Victoria Nuland, the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, during a discussion centered on the ongoing war in Ukraine, asking what official Washington is doing to help Moldova and Georgia.
Cardin suggested, “Putin may be on his way to Moldova and Georgia” next.
“What steps are we taking today to help Moldova and Georgia, recognizing that if the circumstances change and Mr. Putin believes he has the ability, he would not hesitate to cross those borders? He’s already done it in Moldova and Georgia.
“What steps are being taken so that those countries are going to be in the best possible position to defend themselves in the event that Mr. Putin decides he’s going to move more aggressively in those two countries?” the Senator asked.
In her response, Nuland told Cardin that the United States has a long-standing relationship with Georgia on security issues, and that this partnership will continue.
“They [Georgia] have also contributed regularly to all kinds of NATO operations and NATO exercises and have received lots of US military training and equipment over the years, which […] accelerated quite a bit after President Putin’s invasion of Georgia in 2008,” she noted in her reply.
By Ketevan Skhirtladze
