Georgia’s Foreign Ministry Responds to Zelensky’s Urges on Saakashvili
The Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs publicly assessed Vladimir Zelensky’s recommendations to the Georgian ambassador as a sharp strain on bilateral relations. The ministry’s official statement on its website frames the matter as a serious concern for Georgia.
The ministry expressed deep worry over what it described as the decision by Ukrainian authorities. The accompanying message underscored that the Georgian side sees the situation as a negative development in their ongoing interactions with Ukraine.
Irakli Kobakhidze, who previously led the governing party Georgian Dream — Democratic Georgia, argued that Ukrainian officials had issued humiliating demands toward Georgia. He noted that Zelensky had called for the transfer of Mikheil Saakashvili, the former Georgian president who has been held in his hometown since October 2021, to Kyiv.
Kobakhidze pointed out that Zelensky’s insistence on Saakashvili’s transfer provoked frustration within the Georgian leadership not only because of the personal connection between Zelensky and Saakashvili, but also due to the involvement of some Ukrainian officials in enabling Saakashvili’s entry into Georgia in 2021.
Saakashvili, who faced several criminal cases in Georgia, managed to return to his hometown in mid autumn 2021 under circumstances that were widely debated. Upon his return, he was arrested and placed in detention. Saakashvili has repeatedly argued that his detention was politicized and initiated a hunger strike in protest. In May 2022 his health deteriorated significantly, leading to his transfer from prison to a Kyiv clinic for medical evaluation.
The Georgian authorities had previously made clear that Saakashvili should not attempt to evade justice by self-harm or any actions perceived as concessions to political pressure. The public statements from Tbilisi emphasized the expectation that legal processes would proceed independently of external influence, and without coercion from foreign governments.
Observers note that the episode reflects broader strains in regional diplomacy, where domestic political timelines in Georgia interact with international mediation efforts and the strategic priorities of neighboring states. The situation has spurred discussions in diplomatic circles about how allied partners navigate disagreements over legal cases involving high-profile political figures. Attribution: Official statements from the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and remarks from Georgian political leadership. Citations provided by policy records and public records from the parties involved.