Ukraine, Georgia foreign ministers discuss regional cooperation in Chisinau

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili have held talks on the sidelines of the 135th session of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers in Chisinau.

Sybiha said the meeting was a “direct continuation” of recent discussions between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, News.Az reports, citing News Georgia.

According to the Ukrainian foreign minister, the sides discussed cooperation within international organisations as well as recent political developments across the region “from Europe to the South Caucasus”.

“We continue to develop a transparent, pragmatic and constructive Ukrainian-Georgian dialogue,” Sybiha said.

Bochorishvili, in turn, pointed to what she described as “problems in Georgian-Ukrainian relations”, “steps taken by the Ukrainian authorities in recent years” and “positions that hinder normalisation”. She also noted what she called the “consistent political and humanitarian support of Ukraine from Georgia”.

The meeting followed a separate encounter on 4 May on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Yerevan, where Zelensky met Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze despite Ukrainian sanctions imposed on him and several other Georgian Dream officials. Following that meeting, Kobakhidze said the two countries shared a “long history of friendship” and that Tbilisi was ready to work towards normalising relations.

Sybiha and Bochorishvili had also discussed prospects for cooperation earlier, while on 7 May the two ministers held a phone call confirming readiness for continued engagement.

In a later interview with Imedi TV, Bochorishvili said the initiative to rebuild diplomatic engagement had come from Kyiv, adding that it was linked to Georgia’s role as a regional transport hub.

“The activity of the Ukrainian side is conditioned by Georgia’s role in ensuring transport connectivity and the specific needs of countries in our wider neighbourhood,” she said.

News.Az