PM Gharibashvili Says Russia and Ukraine Should Return to Negotiating Table, Calls Situation 'Worrying'
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, February 13, 2023
The Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Gharibashvili, answered reporters' questions regarding the Ukraine war. According to him, there is recession, uncertainty and unpredictability in the world.
Gharibashvili said that the war is not ending, and there is no attempt to stop it, and added that parties should somehow go back to the negotiating table. He assessed the situation as 'worrying'.
"Despite these challenges, our authorities, the government, all together, the whole team, managed to avoid the biggest trial for our country - this is war. This is the attempt, which unfortunately does not stop, to somehow transfer this conflict to our country. In this regard, we directly heard statements from the representatives of the Ukrainian authorities that their goal was to open a second front. This goal was served by sending former President Saakashvili to Georgia, and there are too many provocations that are not resolved by them, unfortunately," he said.
The Prime Minister also said that as a result of the war, both sides have suffered heavy losses and there is no attempt to stop the war.
"You see, since the beginning of the war, 20% of the territory of Ukraine has been occupied, tens of thousands of people have died, Ukraine lost hundreds of billions of dollars. Some say that it is already a trillion dollars, others say 700-800 billion, who will count that. Most importantly, apart from the military, there are very heavy losses on both sides, civil infrastructure, citizens died, and children. Nothing can restore this loss and loss, this pain. We see that the war does not stop, there is no attempt, we must say frankly, that this war should stop, that the parties should somehow return to the negotiating table, this is certainly worrying," he said.
According to Irakli Gharbiashvili, As a result of the Ukraine war, the region and the world as a whole has become even more 'unpredictable'.
He added that the Government's main task is to protect the interests of Georgian people, and that they will do what the country and Georgian people need, and only make decisions and work accordingly.
