Russia is ready to further deepen relations with Georgia and views cooperation between the two countries as an important factor contributing to Georgia’s economic development, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has said.
Speaking at a briefing, Zakharova stated that Moscow views positively what she described as Tbilisi’s efforts to pursue an independent foreign policy and engage with international partners on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
“We view with understanding Tbilisi’s attempts to put an end to external dictates and to interact with foreign partners on an equal, mutually respectful basis,” Zakharova said.
The Russian diplomat added that Moscow remains willing to strengthen bilateral ties with Georgia.
“We are ready to deepen Russian-Georgian ties, which serve as one of the main factors in Georgia’s economic growth. We do this with a pure heart and an open soul,” she stated.
Georgia and Russia do not have diplomatic relations following the 2008 war, after Moscow recognized the independence of Georgia’s breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. However, economic ties and people-to-people contacts between the two countries have continued, with trade, tourism and direct flights having expanded in recent years.
Zakharova’s remarks come amid ongoing debates over Georgia’s foreign policy orientation and relations with both Russia and Western partners.
