Georgian Ambassador to Ukraine Giorgi Zakarashvili left Ukraine and will continue his duties as an ambassador from Tbilisi, Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili told Imedi TV.

Ilia Darchiashvili noted no consultations would be held with the ambassador over ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili’s issue.

The FM described the decision of the Ukrainian government as “ungrounded, unfair, unfriendly and undiplomatic.” He clarified that there are no precedents when the recipient country “expels an ambassador for consultations,” especially the person who has stayed in Kyiv during the hardest days for Ukraine.

Ilia Darchiashvili advised the Ukrainian government officials to complete the procedures to appoint a new ambassador if they were interested in Mikheil Saakashvili and wanted to know more about his health state.

“We wish the bilateral relations and strategic partnership that exist between the two countries to develop and strengthen. They have to decide on the Ambassador to work in Georgia,” he said.

The FM added that any Ukrainian diplomat had the right to visit a Ukrainian citizen serving a prison term in Georgia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on July 3 asked the Georgian Ambassador to leave Ukraine within 48 hours for consultations over ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili.

He also called on the Georgian authorities “to hand over Ukrainian citizen Mykhailo Saakashvili to Ukraine for the necessary treatment and care.”