Georgian FM says Georgia and Ukraine to hold meeting in near future

Georgian foreign minister Maka Botchorishvili on Wednesday said the Ukrainian side has recently become “actively engaged” in communication with Georgia, following a phone conversation with Ukraine’s foreign minister.

In her interview with Imedi TV, Botchorishvili noted that both sides agreed to continue dialogue and work toward improving bilateral relations.

“For a very long time, the Ukrainian side communicated with Georgia and the Georgian public mainly through social networks, and often with messages that were not pleasant - something that cannot simply be overlooked. What is important is that the initiative to sit down and talk is coming from the Ukrainian side, and this can be seen as a positive step. At the same time, it is important for us that the issues accumulated in bilateral relations over the years are properly understood by the Ukrainian side, just as they were understood by us, the Georgian public, and the Georgian government. We agreed that we will meet in the near future and will be able to discuss everything - what can be done to return relations between the two countries to a normal framework”, she said.

The minister further added that Georgia’s position and approaches toward Ukraine remain unchanged.

“We have a firm and consistent position regarding Ukraine. This has been evident in all international organisations and in our statements. However, there was a position that ignored everything Tbilisi was saying. Perhaps this is something that should be questioned - what those positions voiced by the Ukrainian side were based on”, Botchorishvili said.

She further commented on the recent conversation between the Georgian and Ukrainian sides in Yerevan, explaining that the exchange between Georgian prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy had been preceded by talks between the foreign ministers.

“The willingness to take certain steps in bilateral relations is, first and foremost, what we understood and what this communication was aimed at. As for the rest, time will show how things develop. We have openly stated that, to a certain extent, we remained in a situation of one-sided friendship with Ukraine and, in fact, in a mode of one-sided support. We have never stopped this support. It is important that these relations be based on mutual respect and continue in that way. This is certainly our wish as well. We have never wished for anything other than good relations with any friendly state and people, and if there is the same desire from the other side, corresponding steps will naturally follow. We would only welcome that”, Botchorishvili concluded.