Western Ambassadors deny Georgia ‘second front’ claims, reaffirm support for sovereignty

The ambassadors of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom in Georgia - Olivier Courtois, Peter Fischer, and Gareth Ward - on Tuesday dismissed claims by Georgian authorities suggesting their countries had urged Georgia to open a “second front” in the Ukraine conflict, calling such allegations false and disinformative.

In their joint statement on the fourth anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war, the diplomats highlighted the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Georgia, noting that Georgians continued to feel the effects of Russian aggression and the occupation of 20% of Georgian territory. 

“The claim that Germany, France, or the UK called on Georgia to open a second front in this conflict is false and constitutes disinformation,” the statement read.

They reaffirmed their support for Georgia’s sovereignty and its right to independently determine its security policies. The statement also stressed continued cooperation with Georgia under NATO frameworks to strengthen the country’s defensive capabilities against potential threats.

The ambassadors stressed that Georgia played a role in regional security, supporting Ukraine and European partners in defending sovereignty, and contributing to measures that uphold international norms and sanctions against Russia.