Georgian Parliament Speaker recalls “Western military salute” to Russian President after 2008 war

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday took to social media to highlight a controversial moment in the aftermath of the 2008 August War between Georgia and Russia.

In a social media message, Papuashvili recalled the Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9, 2010, just months after the conflict, pointing out that during the parade, the armed forces of several Western nations, including Ukraine, Poland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and France, gave a military salute to the Russian President on Red Square.

Papuashvili’s remarks come amid controversy surrounding certain world leaders’ planned visits to Moscow for this year’s Victory Day celebrations, despite warnings and criticism from Brussels due to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.

“In light of some leaders planning to visit Moscow on May 9, despite warnings from Brussels, it’s hard not to recall May 9, 2010, just months after the August War... Red Square. Armed forces of Ukraine, Poland, the UK, the US, and France saluted the Russian President. Perhaps it was because: our war wasn’t a war, our blood wasn’t blood, our tears weren’t tears”, Papuashvili said, expressing sorrow over what he views as the world’s failure to acknowledge Georgia’s suffering.