Geogian MP urges Kyiv “distance itself” from Podolyak, Arestovych, Danilov over Georgia

Nikoloz Samkharadze, the head of the parliament’s foreign relations committee from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday called on the Ukrainian government to distance itself from the statements of its representatives Oleksiy Arestovych, Mikhailo Podolyak, Oleksiy Danilov and others, who “wish to see Georgia involved” in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. 

He said the official structures should make statements “who is speaking on behalf of Ukraine”. 

The comment came on the heels of a recent statement of Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesperson in the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, who said Kyiv was “deeply disappointed” by the claims of the Georgian authorities over “dragging the country” into the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, saying such reports benefited “narrow, domestic political goals”. 

He claimed Kyv had “never wished” to see Georgia involved in the conflict and called on the Georgian government to allow the treatment of currently imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili – a citizen of Ukraine – in Ukraine or in the clinics of Europe or America. 

On his part Samkharadze said Saakashvili was trying to evade punishment.