Georgian Parliament Speaker on Europe’s shifted rhetoric toward Russia: we have experienced this ourselves

Georgian Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Sunday assessed what he described as a shift in rhetoric by European bureaucrats and leaders toward Russia in an exclusive interview with Imedi TV.

Papuashvili emphasised that Georgia had already experienced firsthand the consequences of war and what he called abandonment by other countries.

He said the nation has seen both “the pain of war” and how, after conflicts end, some states reset relations based on their own interests.

“We have experienced this ourselves. We have seen everything - both the pain of war and how, after the war ends, relationships are reset. Everyone looks at their own interests and their own goals”, the speaker said.

“If pushing Georgia toward escalation with Russia serves their purposes, that is fine for them. If not, they will send 15 packages of humanitarian aid, make a statement on the anniversary, promise EU membership and dangle it like a carrot to show us something to aspire to. This is how cynical today’s world really is”, Papuashvili concluded.