Ukraine hasn’t requested Georgia to accept fleeing Russians - Ukrainian MP Goncharenko

Ukraine hasn’t requested Georgia to accept fleeing Russians - Ukrainian MP Goncharenko

Ukraine has not applied to Georgia to accept fleeing Russian citizens, Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko told TV Pirveli on Thursday, in comments on the recent statements of the ruling Georgian Dream party MPs that the influx of Russian citizens in Georgia on the backdrop of Russia’s war in Ukraine and following the announcement of partial military mobilization in Russia last week were in the interests of Kyiv, as those people would not fight against Ukraine. 

"Ukraine did not appeal to Georgia to accept Russian citizens to flee the mobilization. Therefore, the Georgian government should not shield Ukraine. If they want to help Ukraine, I will tell you what the Georgian government should do - it should introduce sanctions on Russia. All our partner countries help us with weapons, we understand that Georgia does not have many weapons, but it does have some…”, said the MP.

He suggested that those countries who “really help Ukraine” had already closed their borders for Russians. 

“Those countries that help us - Poland, the Baltic countries -  they have closed the border with Russia. No one is telling them, let's open the borders for Russians for the sake of Ukraine and let these people in. Ukraine will not ask anyone for such a thing", said Goncharenko. 

He stated that the people who had fled Russia to evade military service, could have stayed in their country and rally against their government, noting that the influx of Russians in Georgia and other states hamper protests in Russia.





Ukraine has not applied to Georgia to accept fleeing Russian citizens, Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko told TV Pirveli on Thursday, in comments on the recent statements of the ruling Georgian Dream party MPs that the influx of Russian citizens in Georgia on the backdrop of Russia’s war in Ukraine and following the announcement of partial military mobilization in Russia last week were in the interests of Kyiv, as those people would not fight against Ukraine. 

"Ukraine did not appeal to Georgia to accept Russian citizens to flee the mobilization. Therefore, the Georgian government should not shield Ukraine. If they want to help Ukraine, I will tell you what the Georgian government should do - it should introduce sanctions on Russia. All our partner countries help us with weapons, we understand that Georgia does not have many weapons, but it does have some…”, said the MP.

He suggested that those countries who “really help Ukraine” had already closed their borders for Russians. 

“Those countries that help us - Poland, the Baltic countries -  they have closed the border with Russia. No one is telling them, let's open the borders for Russians for the sake of Ukraine and let these people in. Ukraine will not ask anyone for such a thing", said Goncharenko. 

He stated that the people who had fled Russia to evade military service, could have stayed in their country and rally against their government, noting that the influx of Russians in Georgia and other states hamper protests in Russia.