US State Department Spokesperson rebukes Ivanishvili’s remarks on August War

Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, has responded to a statement made by Bidzina Ivanishvili, the honorary chairman of Georgia’s ruling party Georgian Dream, regarding the 2008 August War. Ivanishvili, during a speech in Gori on September 14, mentioned that Georgia might eventually need to apologize for its role in the conflict.

Miller, when asked by a journalist, firmly rejected the notion that Georgia owes an apology for the Russian invasion, emphasizing that Russia remains the aggressor and continues its  illegal occupation of Georgian territories.

“I don’t think Georgia needs to apologize for being invaded by Russia, just like Georgia doesn’t need to apologize for the fact that Russia continues to illegally occupy 20% of its territory,” Miller said. He further noted that Russia’s aggression against Georgia mirrors its behavior towards other countries in the region, notably Ukraine.