“It is important that the Ukrainian side has an accurate understanding of our expectations, and that its attitude towards Georgia be a fair one,” declared Georgia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maka Botchorishvili.

The head of the foreign ministry spoke about her meeting with her Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, noting that the steps taken by the Ukrainian side are positive, though its attitude towards Georgia is what will prove decisive moving forward.

“It was I who initiated the meeting with my Ukrainian colleague. It is important that the Ukrainian side also has an accurate understanding of the sentiments and attitudes within our society regarding the steps we have witnessed from representatives of the Ukrainian government over recent years. We support Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. However, we have our own concerns about the purpose behind the attitude towards Georgia, the Georgian government, and Georgia’s security, which has entirely justified sentiments within our society.

All of this naturally requires discussion and a clear articulation of positions. It is therefore important that the Ukrainian side has an accurate understanding of our expectations. The attitude towards Georgia must be fair. Georgia’s support for Ukraine, both political and humanitarian, has been consistent throughout these years. We have never taken a single step that warranted any dissatisfaction or criticism from Ukraine. Nevertheless, we have heard much of both, which is why this matter must be addressed properly.

We shall continue our dialogue. The efforts we are seeing from the Ukrainian side to sustain that dialogue are encouraging. Time will tell what the attitude towards Georgia will be, and that is what is decisive for us. The attitude towards Georgia, towards the Georgian people, towards the Georgian state must be fair and grounded in mutual respect. Without that, any normalisation of relations, in whatever form, is simply inconceivable,” declared Botchorishvili.