Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday extended his congratulations to Georgia following the European Commission’s recommendation to the Council to grant Tbilisi the bloc’s membership candidate status in December. 

In his social media post, Zelenskyy said his Georgian counterpart Salome Zourabichvili also congratulated Ukraine on the Commission’s recommendation on the launch of accession talks. 

“During our call, President Zourabichvili congratulated Ukrainians and I congratulated the friendly Georgian people on the European Commission's positive assessment of Ukraine's and Georgia's efforts on our path to the EU”, Zelenskyy said. 

He noted he also expressed gratitude to Georgia for sending a representative to the recent Peace Formula meeting in Malta.

“I also brought up the issue of Ukrainian citizen Mikheil Saakashvili's access to appropriate medical treatment”, Zelenskyy said.

Saakashvili, the third President of Georgia, was arrested on his clandestine return to Georgia from Ukraine in 2021 and is now receiving treatment in a Tbilisi civilian clinic. 

The European Court of Human Rights earlier this year rejected the former official’s motion on his transfer abroad on medical grounds, as well as inside the country in another clinic.