Georgian President advocates for peaceful reintegration of Russian-occupied territories

Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili on Saturday emphasised a peaceful approach to reintegrating Georgia’s Russian-occupied territories, expressing openness to improving relations with Moscow if Russia takes different measures, while firmly identifying Russia as the aggressor in regional conflicts.

In an interview with Spanish newspaper El Mundo, Kavelashvili addressed the complex issue of Georgia’s Russian-occupied territories, advocating for their reintegration through peaceful means.

“These [occupied] territories must be reintegrated only through a peaceful process. The people living there have been with us for centuries. We will find the strength to begin restoring relations with them because we share many things in common. We will not reconsider our position regarding these territories, as they are ancient historical lands of Georgia. It should be noted that we do not have diplomatic relations with Russia precisely because of this issue - and this is a matter of principle”, Kavelashvili said.

He expressed willingness to adjust Georgia’s stance towards Russia if Moscow adopts a different approach, but maintained that the lack of diplomatic relations stems from Russia’s occupation of Georgian lands.

“Of course, we will improve our approach towards Moscow if they take different measures. There is nothing to hide. Everything else is speculation - such as attempts to link us to the Russian Government. What approach would benefit Russia in this case? [Western countries] are making a strong effort to change the Government here and cause destabilisation in this country. Those who seek to destabilise Georgia must understand that Russia will be the one to take advantage of that destabilisation. The Russian army is only 40 kilometres from us. […] But how should we confront Russia? Where can we find a solution? When Donald Trump says: ‘The war was a mistake. If I were president, there would be no war’, we must reflect on that”, he said.

“Russia is the aggressor! That’s a fact. But do we - or you - have the power to change the situation? And before the aggression, didn’t we already know how strong Russia was?” Kavelashvili concluded.