The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Georgian Parliament has issued a statement on the current events in Ukraine, condemning the steps taken by Russia and the aggressive rhetoric of the Kremlin.
The statement of the Foreign Relations Committee was voiced by the Chairman of the Committee, Nikoloz Samkharadze, at a briefing in Parliament today.
“We are deeply concerned about the ongoing violation of the ceasefire agreement by the Russian Federation in eastern Ukraine, the large-scale mobilization of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border and in Crimea, and the Kremlin’s aggressive rhetoric. Dangerous are the public statements of Russian high-ranking officials, which undermine both the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and its security and stability. Georgia and Ukraine have a special friendship and strategic partnership, and therefore we reaffirm Georgia’s strong support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“In addition, we welcome the deepening of relations between NATO and Ukraine and support the Alliance’s increased engagement in the Black Sea region, which we see as a guarantee of stability.
“We believe that the current events pose a serious threat not only to Ukraine but also to the Black Sea region as a whole and to the European security environment. We call on the international community to continue to strongly support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity against aggression and destructive actions,” Nikoloz Samkharadze said.
The OSCE has identified 57 violations of the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, local media reports.
The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has reported 55 violations of the ceasefire in Donetsk Oblast and 2 violations in Luhansk over the past day, the mission’s April 7 report said, Ukrainian media reported.
In recent weeks, a major Russian military build-up in occupied Crimea and close to the border with eastern Ukraine has sparked fears of a possible imminent escalation in the seven-year conflict between the two countries.
By Ana Dumbadze
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