Georgian Parliament Speaker questions EU response to 2008 war: whom did it sanction? Georgia

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Saturday criticised the European Union and Western countries for their response to the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, claiming that sanctions were imposed on Georgia rather than Russia.

Speaking at the Mukhatgverdi Brothers’ Cemetery, Papuashvili noted that the August 12 ceasefire agreement was signed by Georgia and Russia, with the European Union also signing as a guarantor.

“Besides the signatures of Georgia and Russia on the August 12 agreement, there is also the signature of the European Union as a guarantor. What did the European Union do to ensure that the August 12 agreement was implemented? Did it impose sanctions on Russia to make it withdraw its troops? No. Whom did it sanction? It sanctioned Georgia”, Papuashvili said.

He also claimed that Western countries imposed an arms embargo on Georgia following the war, despite the country facing potential future security threats.

“The West imposed an arms embargo on a country that had just been through a war and still faced potential threats of further conflicts. They did not provide us with weapons; they imposed an embargo and sanctions on Georgia in 2008”, the Speaker continued.

According to Papuashvili, Western countries subsequently supported efforts to restore relations with Russia, including cultural and other ties, and backed Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organisation.

He also criticised the former ruling United National Movement party, claiming that it supported a Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe resolution that attributed war crimes to Georgian soldiers.

“They did everything at the time to ensure that Russia did not pay a price for the occupation”, Papuashvili concluded.