Tbilisi: Kelly Degnan, the US Ambassador to Georgia, said that Anything dividing Georgia and Ukraine is ultimately benefiting Russia. The remarks came in while the ambassador responded to a recent statement from the advisor of Ukrainian President, Oleksiy Arestovych, asking Ukraine to ‘free and save Georgia’using Ukrainian combatants. The statement has drawn criticism from the Georgian Dream authorities as well.
“Russia is the only one that benefits when Georgia and Ukraine are arguing with each other. This is really the time to unify and come together. These are two countries that have both faced invasion by Russia. These are two countries that have had their sovereignty threatened by Russia. This is the time to stand together and push back in whatever way possible to demonstrate that Georgia’s territorial integrity and Georgia’s sovereignty are safe and preserved”, stated Degnan.
The ambassador, however, has refrained from making any statements ‘on behalf of Mr Arestovych, a member of the Ukrainian government. While speaking from United States’ perspective, Degnan said that -“we have very consistently and clearly supported Georgia’s aspirations for a European future”.
“This is the clear desire and preference of the Georgian citizens to become part of the European Union, to become part of NATO. The United States has been very pleased to support efforts that are required to achieve that”, she said.
Degnan further said that Georgia currently holds the real opportunity to enlist itself among the member nations of the European Union, provided that the leaders and citizens make necessary amendments to fulfil the necessary 12-point conditions.
This needs to be a broad and inclusive process that includes civil society, that includes the opposition, that includes other stakeholders. I think that is what Georgia really seeks to achieve, and we all are watching to see if Georgia’s leaders can do what is actually required to achieve this goal. That is the clear will of the Georgian people: to become fully integrated into the European family of nations, to obtain the next very important step on that path, which is candidate status”, said the ambassador.
