President Salome Zourabichvili: Georgia's Future Lies in Ukraine
By Liza Mchedlidze
Friday, March 1, 2024
The President of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, addressed a discussion organized by the Chatham House Royal Institute of International Affairs, focusing on Georgia's future in Europe and the ways it can integrate with the European Union.
In her speech, the President asserted that Georgia's European identity is inherent and that Russia's interference obstructs its realization. According to her, the defeat of Russia in Ukraine holds crucial significance for Europe.
The President stated that over the past 20 years, Georgia has successfully completed all stages of joining the European Union. This includes joining the neighborhood policy, signing the association agreement, achieving visa liberalization, implementing a deep and comprehensive trade agreement, and steadily progressing towards candidate status, which was granted at the end of last year.
According to Zourabichvili, for Georgia to maintain its trajectory towards European integration and ultimately become a member of the European Union, it faces a significant challenge: Russia and its actions in Ukraine.
"Yes, we know, we have experienced, and we can say a lot about what it means to be a neighbor of Russia, to be conquered by different regimes of Russia in various ways, but today the challenge lies in Ukraine. There is no support for Georgia and its European path without the support of Ukraine. Supporting Ukraine is the common goal of Europeans, all Western partners, and the majority of Americans. This is the main goal and task for everyone," Zourabichvili said.
According to the President, the defeat of Russia in the war is a shared responsibility. She stated that due to Georgia's occupied territory and its proximity to Russia, Georgia has limited capacity to act.
Zourabichvili also addressed the challenging living conditions faced by people residing near the constantly shifting 'border' with Russia, highlighting instances of kidnappings, illegal arrests, and enduring extreme psychological pressure. She emphasized that these people have no access to basic human rights.
"If the population living in the occupied territories needs medical support (which was very visible during the COVID pandemic), they cross the dividing line with difficulty because they are not always allowed to cross [the occupation line], or they do not know when they will be able to cross. They move to the controlled territory of Georgia to get education.
In the occupied territories, language is not protected as a sign of cultural identity. Neither the Abkhazian nor the Ossetian language is protected in any way. In fact, they no longer speak these languages; there is only Russian, which is well-known to Georgia, leading to Russification. Culture is not preserved. What was expected from the separatist forces did not happen in the occupied territories - the strengthening of identity and differences.
Let's take Abkhazia as an example. One of the most important principles they voiced was that this is their land and that it would not be sold or alienated to foreigners. However, this principle was overcome by the Russians, who exerted strong pressure. They were able to obtain permission from the so-called Parliament of Abkhazia to buy land, an airport, and the port of Ochamchire on the Black Sea coast. This in itself is a problem because Russia wants to add a new military base in addition to the ones already there.
So, the future of Georgia lies in Ukraine, and the future of Europe hinges on Ukraine's victory. In many ways, Ukraine is already a winner because Russia has not succeeded, and we should all understand this very well. Despite Russian propaganda efforts to influence our public opinion, President Putin's war aims have not been achieved at all," Zourabichvili said.
