“We are small countries and we should avoid the temptation to overestimate our influence on international events,” said President of Iceland, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, at the Security Conference organized by the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies (Rondeli Foundation).

President of Iceland remembered his first meeting with Georgians when studying at the university in England in 1990 before the dissolution of the Soviet Union. He elaborated on what Georgia could learn from Iceland. He said he believed small countries could also contribute to the welfare of humankind.

President of Iceland joked that his recommendation would be not to have neighbours then Georgians could live well and freely. “You can argue with that. Our history, developed on an island far away from others, tells us that security and safety depends on security and safety of others,” he said.

According to Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, while Russian aggression rages in Ukraine, freedom is at threat in entire Europe.

“When there is a war in Europe, it also affects us, despite the fact that we are far away. So we don’t live in isolation, and yes, there may be things in our past and history that may be useful to others,” he said.

President of Iceland, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson arrived in Georgia for an official visit on March 5.