Podolyak’s dream is to open a second front, which he has talked about many times. He wants to open a second front in Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, responded to Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of the Ukrainian President’s Administration, who had commented that “Georgia does not have any chance to become a member of the European community”.

Kobakhidze stated that Podolyak’s view is that Georgia must open a second front to have a chance to get candidate status for EU membership. However, Kobakhidze stressed the GD party is focused on different goals and agendas.

“The second front will not be opened in Georgia either, and we will get candidate status. It is our goal,” he added.

Khatia Dekanoidze, an opposition MP, also commented on the situation, highlighting the ongoing criticisms and mutual accusations between the governments of Ukraine and Georgia. She stressed that candidate status belongs to Georgian citizens and expressed a hope that Ukraine would advocate for giving Georgian citizens the opportunity to move closer to Europe.

“It’s not new when the Ukrainian government criticizes Georgia’s government because of its anti-Ukrainian position; we’ve witnessed mutual accusations, also from Georgia’s side, particularly following Russia’s military aggression. When the Georgian government adopts an anti-Ukrainian and anti-Western position, such as the recent impeachment of the president and the adoption of Russian legislation, it inevitably strains relations. It’s very difficult when two nations’ authorities engage in such mutual accusations. I can’t even imagine that, under the current Georgian Dream administration, the relationship between Georgia and Ukraine aligns with the expectations of partner nations.

The Ukrainian authorities, including President Zelensky, are well aware that EU candidate status belongs to Georgian citizens. I am confident that Ukraine will make efforts to advocate for giving Georgian citizens the opportunity to move closer to Europe,” Dekanoidze said.