“Putin has made world more dangerous,” US Senator says in Tbilisi
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Thursday, January 5
US Senator John McCain, who paid an official visit to Georgia with two colleagues, criticized Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and accused him of stirring conflicts.
“Vladimir Putin illegally annexed part of Georgia [Abkhazia and Tskhinvali], but Georgia will one day be free, united and independent,” McCain said on Tuesday when visiting the NATO-Georgia Training Centre near capital Tbilisi.
While there, he thanked Georgian soldiers for their contribution to the international peace and noted his and his colleagues’ coming to Georgia expressed America’s support for the Georgian people and the troops who are serving in Afghanistan together with American soldiers.
"They are defending the freedom of the American people, as well as that of the Georgian people,” he stressed.
“Due to Vladimir Putin, the world is much more dangerous,” McCain added.
The Senator thanked those US soldiers who spent the New Year holiday together with their Georgian colleagues far from their motherland to fight against terrorism in Afghanistan.
“Due to Vladimir Putin, the world is much more dangerous. In 2008 Russia illegally and amorally invaded Georgia and then Crimea. Intense pressure is also being exerted on the Baltic States. We have visited several places in Georgia that have been illegally annexed by Russia.
“Our leader, Ronald Reagan, used to say that peace is strength. You are the legacy of these words and this must be a message for Russia. I deeply believe that democracy will prevail. We are the guarantee of peace, the guarantee of freedom of the Georgian and American peoples,” said the Senator.
US Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Amy Klobuchar arrived in Georgia on January 1.
The Washington Post has written that the aim of the trip was to "reassure US European partners that Washington is still committed to confronting Russian aggression under Donald Trump”.
