Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanchuk, has addressed an open letter to Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, sharply criticizing recent remarks made by the Georgian official.
In his statement, Stefanchuk wrote:
“Ukraine does not need lectures from self-proclaimed moralists who merely echo the narratives of the so-called ‘Russian world.’
What Ukraine needs are genuine allies — those who understand that in the fight against evil, it is not flattering words that matter, but clear positions and steadfast support.”
The comments come amid renewed diplomatic tensions between Tbilisi and Kyiv.
On February 25, Papuashvili was asked to comment on Georgia’s vote in support of a United Nations resolution concerning Ukraine. The resolution was backed by 107 countries, including Georgia, while 51 states — among them the United States, China, Armenia and Hungary — abstained.
Responding to the question, Papuashvili stated:
“We support the Ukrainian people. Neither Zelensky nor Brussels deserve our support; Zelensky is ungrateful.”
The remark has drawn criticism from Ukrainian officials and further fueled political debate over Georgia’s positioning in relation to the war in Ukraine and its broader relationship with Western partners.
Tensions between the two countries have periodically escalated since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with disagreements centering on sanctions policy, diplomatic rhetoric and Georgia’s alignment with Western initiatives.
Image: REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
