Georgia has appointed a new ambassador to Ukraine amid complications related to the arrest of Georgian ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili in Tbilisi on October 1, who currently serves the head of the executive committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council. 

Giorgi Zakarashvili, who has served as the Director of the Political Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia since 2019, has replaced Teimuraz Sharashenidze in the role. 

Zakarashvili has held various positions in the diplomatic service since 2004, the Georgian Foreign Ministry says.

Sharashenidze faced problems in the post and was withdrawn from Ukraine for almost a year after Saakashvili received an official position in the country back in May 2020.

The Ukrainian government claims that they will use all levers to return Saakashvili, who is a citizen of Ukraine, back to the country.