Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Rebukes Papuashvili Over Comments on Ukraine
By Messenger Staff
Friday, February 27, 2026
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanchuk, has rejected accusations that Ukraine is ungrateful for international support, saying backing a United Nations resolution on Ukraine's territorial integrity is a basic moral obligation.
Stefanchuk's statement, published in Georgian on social media, responded to remarks by the Georgian Dream Parliament Chairman, Shalva Papuashvili, who accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of ingratitude toward both the United States and Georgia.
"Support for the UN resolution concerning Ukraine's territorial integrity is truly not charity or heroism. It is the minimum level of elementary decency," Stefanchuk said.
He also rejected criticism directed at Ukraine from abroad, saying, "Ukraine does not need lectures from those moralists who act as retranslators of the narratives of the 'Russian world'. Ukraine needs real allies."
Stefanchuk stressed that Ukrainians value genuine support and expressed gratitude toward Georgian society.
"Ukrainians are a grateful nation. We respect everyone who helps us in the fight for our own freedom and the right to choose. And of course, we are grateful to the Georgian people," he said.
He added that repeated accusations of ingratitude reflect poorly on those making them.
"Those who constantly reproach Ukraine for 'ingratitude' are in reality covering up their own loss of dignity," Stefanchuk said.
In his statement, he quoted Georgian philosopher Merab Mamardashvili, saying, "There is no formula for human freedom, nor is there a cure for human idiocy. Political effectiveness is not the main thing. The main thing is freedom."
Earlier, Papuashvili said Georgia supports the Ukrainian people but not Ukraine's leadership.
"He is an ungrateful person. Zelenskyy shows no gratitude either to America or to Georgia," Papuashvili said.
He linked the recall of Ukraine's ambassador from Georgia to criticism over Georgia's refusal to send citizens to fight in Ukraine and added, "We do all this for the Ukrainian people. The final verdict on Zelenskyy will be given by the Ukrainian people themselves."
