Georgia’s Kobakhidze hopes for ‘reset’ in Ukraine ties after Zelensky talks

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has said he hopes for a “reset” in relations with Ukraine following a recent meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky, which he described as taking place in a “very friendly atmosphere”.

In an interview with Georgian television channel Imedi, Kobakhidze said the meeting was initiated by Zelensky and took place on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Yerevan on 4 May. He said the discussion lasted around ten minutes and focused on the need for “improving relations” between the two countries, News.Az reports, citing News Georgia.

“We hope that relations will be reset. Our countries and peoples are bound by traditional friendship, and we have a special sense of solidarity with the Ukrainian people in the difficult situation in a friendly country,” Kobakhidze said.

He stressed that Tbilisi considers restoring relations with the Ukrainian authorities “particularly important”, despite the strains of recent years.

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, relations between Kyiv and Tbilisi deteriorated sharply. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly accused the Georgian government of insufficient support for Ukraine and of maintaining a relatively cautious stance towards Russia. In response, representatives of the ruling Georgian Dream party have said that Ukraine and some Western politicians sought to draw Georgia into the war and open a “second front” against Russia.

Kobakhidze referred directly to these disagreements in the interview, also pointing to diplomatic tensions over ambassadorial appointments and Ukrainian sanctions imposed on him personally.

“There were many factors that created problems in these relations — statements about a second front, steps related to ambassadors and so on,” he said.

Despite this, he said Georgia remained ready to maintain friendly relations with Ukraine even unilaterally.

“We are ready to remain in a state of even one-sided friendship. But we hope that this one-sided friendship will turn into a bilateral one,” Kobakhidze said.

The prime minister added that the Georgian government remains calm about existing disagreements and continues to hope for a change in Kyiv’s approach to bilateral relations.

News.Az