The President of Georgia hosted the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, Alexander Vilkul. Mutual relations and future cooperation were the main topics of discussion. The sides spoke about the importance of renewing the work of the intergovernmental commission and the necessity of its sessions. The discussion also touched on deepening economic and healthcare cooperation between the two countries.

The President of Georgia replied to the fact of lowering the class of the general consulates of Georgia in Donetsk and Odessa by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, and noted that “this is an incredible anti-state action.”

“If we have already sent the note it means that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made a decision to abolish general consulates in Donetsk and Odessa. Is it time for lowering the level of relations with Ukraine now?

This decision is made because they want to replace the consul appointed by the President with a consul appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They should have asked me, and I would have done it myself. You are harming Georgia by such an action. We are lowering the level of relations with our main partner country Ukraine just because they want to be stubborn with me. I think this is an anti-state, irresponsible decision at a time when we need Ukraine like oxygen. I want everyone to understand that this style which is completely unacceptable is weakening Georgia’s statehood, and is wrong for our foreign policy. I am very sorry that we are weakening Georgia’s statehood because of a personal dispute.”- stated the President of Georgia.

The Head of State also commented on the statements made during the EU Ministerial. According to him, the country is headed towards international isolation.

“Yesterday at the EU Ministerial, unfortunately, leading ministers mentioned Georgia among the countries which have legal and political process problems in terms of advancing towards the EU. I think that we still have enough time to improve this, and we must work on this issue. This is not an ordinary parliamentary body; this is the main body of the European Union. Thank God the ministers did not make such a decision yesterday and they only warned us very strictly. The next step will be a decision, and we won’t be able to change it, which will set Georgia back by years. We must not fool ourselves that everything is all right! Georgia is headed towards international isolation and we must all work together regardless of who is standing at which platform” – stated the President of Georgia.