Russia's invasion of Ukraine started a long war with no end in sight, which affects all of us. Stopping the unjustified human sacrifice, the brutal destruction, requires the greatest collective effort, Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Thursday in his address to the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Hungary. 

“Even today, as during World War II, the goal and mission for all of us, the entire humanity, is to secure peace. We must realize that there is no alternative to peace. As we support Ukraine, we must do more to ensure peace talks that result in lasting and stable peace conditions”, Garibashvili said. 

He said his country also faced Russian invasion in 2008 and “suffered heavy human losses and 20% of our territory is still occupied by Russia”. 

“We, Georgians, know very well what the price of peace is. Georgia is a small, but strong and freedom-loving nation. However, when necessary, we fight selflessly to protect our freedom, our families, and our homeland”, Garibashvili said. 

Praising the country’s “centuries-long traditions and faith”, the PM slammed the forces who were trying to create threats to “these values” 

“[they are doing this] by destructing the traditional family values and coercing false freedoms– through LGBTQ+ propaganda and attempts to legislate gender-affirming procedures for children – bypassing their parents, as well as by forcing so-called ‘innovations’ that will cut people off from their own roots, family,traditions, culture, and history. They do so because it is easy to control a rootless person - someone who has forgotten his/her history and faith”, Garibashvili said. 

He highlighted Georgia’s “rightful place is in Europe”, and that his government expected the  European Union to make a “fair” decision on the country’s membership candidate status by the end of this year, noting “Georgia deserves the status”.