01:28Mandatory credit: Georgian parliament's Public Relations Department
Georgian Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili claimed on Tuesday that European politicians 'pushed' Tbilisi to send volunteer fighters to Ukraine and impose sanctions against Russia.
"Along with the United National Movement [political party], some foreign [politicians] were telling us to impose sanctions, to send the servicemen and so on. Europeans, among others, were saying that. In fact, they pushed us to somehow bring us into a war with Russia," Papuashvili alleged.
He went on claiming that the opposition party also insisted on sending mercenaries to Ukraine to fight in conflict against Russia.
"United National Movement [political party] argued in favour, a state aircraft should have taken off from Tbilisi International Airport directly to the combat zone, so that we would be involved in the war. Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia [political party] opposed the suggestion, as this step would mean getting involved in a war," he said.
The Georgian Parliament speaker emphasised that despite internal and external pressure, Georgia remained faithful to its 'policy of peace'.
At the time of publication, the EU had not commented on Papuashvili’s claims.
On February 25, 2022, former Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili said he had no plans to impose sanctions against Russia, as this would harm national interests. At the same time, Tbilisi had repeatedly stated that it would not let others use the country to evade restrictions.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
European politicians 'pushed us' to send soldiers to Ukraine, impose anti-Russia sanctions - Georgian parliament speaker
Georgian Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili claimed on Tuesday that European politicians 'pushed' Tbilisi to send volunteer fighters to Ukraine and impose sanctions against Russia.
"Along with the United National Movement [political party], some foreign [politicians] were telling us to impose sanctions, to send the servicemen and so on. Europeans, among others, were saying that. In fact, they pushed us to somehow bring us into a war with Russia," Papuashvili alleged.
He went on claiming that the opposition party also insisted on sending mercenaries to Ukraine to fight in conflict against Russia.
"United National Movement [political party] argued in favour, a state aircraft should have taken off from Tbilisi International Airport directly to the combat zone, so that we would be involved in the war. Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia [political party] opposed the suggestion, as this step would mean getting involved in a war," he said.
The Georgian Parliament speaker emphasised that despite internal and external pressure, Georgia remained faithful to its 'policy of peace'.
At the time of publication, the EU had not commented on Papuashvili’s claims.
On February 25, 2022, former Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili said he had no plans to impose sanctions against Russia, as this would harm national interests. At the same time, Tbilisi had repeatedly stated that it would not let others use the country to evade restrictions.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
Mandatory credit: Georgian parliament's Public Relations Department
Georgian Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili claimed on Tuesday that European politicians 'pushed' Tbilisi to send volunteer fighters to Ukraine and impose sanctions against Russia.
"Along with the United National Movement [political party], some foreign [politicians] were telling us to impose sanctions, to send the servicemen and so on. Europeans, among others, were saying that. In fact, they pushed us to somehow bring us into a war with Russia," Papuashvili alleged.
He went on claiming that the opposition party also insisted on sending mercenaries to Ukraine to fight in conflict against Russia.
"United National Movement [political party] argued in favour, a state aircraft should have taken off from Tbilisi International Airport directly to the combat zone, so that we would be involved in the war. Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia [political party] opposed the suggestion, as this step would mean getting involved in a war," he said.
The Georgian Parliament speaker emphasised that despite internal and external pressure, Georgia remained faithful to its 'policy of peace'.
At the time of publication, the EU had not commented on Papuashvili’s claims.
On February 25, 2022, former Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili said he had no plans to impose sanctions against Russia, as this would harm national interests. At the same time, Tbilisi had repeatedly stated that it would not let others use the country to evade restrictions.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.