US Ambassador: Kremlin’s statements not to carry weight until Georgians see some credible moves

12:25, 02.09.2021

The Kremlin’s statements do not carry a lot of weight until Georgians see some credible moves from Russia, said US Ambassador Kelly Degnan when echoing the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s statement on restoration of Georgia-Russia relations.

“Georgians have heard these statements from the Kremlin many times. They would have a lot more credibility if they were followed up by actually withdrawing from Georgia’s occupied territories and reversing the recognition of Tskhinvali and Abkhazia and actually following through on the obligations that Russia committed to in 2008.

I haven’t seen any step toward that. In fact, there’s still a flight ban and are still restrictions on markets. So it seems to me that until Georgians see some credible moves, concrete moves forward in these areas regarding the occupied territories, the statements that come from the Kremlin don’t carry a lot of weight,” US Ambassador claimed.

“If Georgia wants normal living with Russia as a neighbor, official Moscow is ready to restore relations,” said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on September 1.

By - Elene Dobordjginidze

Politics

Georgia-Russia relations

Kelly Degnan