Ex-Pres Saakashvili: fuel supplies to occupied Abkhazia may signal plans for major agreements with Russia

Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has claimed that recent fuel supplies to the currently Russian-controlled Abkhazia, and possibly the Tskhinvali region, could be a sign of preparations for major agreements between Georgia and Russia.

In a social media post on Monday, Saakashvili alleged that Russia had sent the Georgian authorities draft agreements in early August covering the restoration of diplomatic relations and commitments not to enter into arrangements with third parties against each other.

He further claimed that separate agreements had been proposed concerning Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, including recognition of their "subjectivity" and non-aggression guarantees.

Saakashvili said the documents had allegedly been delivered directly to the ruling party founder and honorary chair Bidzina Ivanishvili and claimed that Russian presidential administration deputy chief of staff Sergei Kiriyenko was overseeing the process on Moscow's side.

He alleged that the Georgian Foreign Ministry was not involved in the process and claimed Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze was expected to travel to Moscow in the coming weeks to sign the agreements.

Saakashvili also accused Ivanishvili of seeking to use what he described as a favourable political moment to conclude the agreements, arguing that the opposition was weakened, people were intimidated and Western governments were distracted by other issues.

He called on opposition forces to mobilise and urged them to engage with Georgian Dream supporters and mid-level officials, arguing that some could oppose what he described as the potential loss of Georgia's sovereignty.