Georgian Parliament Speaker: when external forces, opposition, NGOs pushed us toward war, we said Georgians know best how such wars begin and end

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Saturday said that external actors, internal opposition groups and certain NGOs attempted to push Georgia toward war after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, arguing that the Government’s restraint prevented Georgia from facing the same tragic choices Ukraine faces today.

Papuashvili’s remarks followed after Axios reported on a confidential Russia-US plan to end the war at the cost of major concessions from Ukraine - including recognition of Crimea and Donbas as Russian territory.

In his remarks, Papuashvili noted that after the war in Ukraine began, both external actors and internal political and civic groups attempted to push Georgia toward military involvement.

“When external forces, the internal opposition, and NGOs were dragging us into war, we said that - who, if not Georgians, know very well how such wars begin and, more importantly, through very bitter experience, how they end”, he said.

The Speaker argued that the Georgian Government and society avoided the scenario now unfolding in Ukraine, where the country found itself unable either to continue the war or end it without severe consequences.

“That is why the Government of Georgia was particularly cautious, because we stood right on the edge of such a devastating war - toward which both external and internal forces were directly pushing us. In contrast, we saw false chest-beating, false heroism behind computer keyboards, by some who had no understanding of the threats that this sort of hysteria was sowing in Georgia”, he noted.

“Of course, what is happening in Ukraine today is a very difficult situation. Ukraine and its Government today are in a state where they can neither continue the war nor end it. This is the biggest challenge, because this whole situation - the conflict, the war - has entered a dead end. Continuing the war is difficult, ending it is also difficult, and President Zelenskyy's statement yesterday is precisely proof of this - today Ukraine is forced to choose between two bad options”, Papuashvili continued.

He concluded by saying that Georgia avoided this fate thanks to the Government’s restraint and the public’s support for peace.

“This is exactly what they wanted to happen to us - so that we also would have no real choice and would be placed before two bad options. It was the Government of Georgia and the Georgian people who saved our country from this”, Papuashvili concluded.