Georgia Announces EU Demand to Send Mercenaries to Ukraine

EU representatives demanded that Georgia organize the dispatch of mercenaries to Ukraine and introduce anti-Russian sanctions, Georgian parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili said at a briefing.

"The United National Movement party (founded by the former president of the republic, Mikheil Saakashvili . — ) claimed that we had to send mercenaries to Ukraine and impose sanctions against Russia. The Georgian Dream responded that this would drag us into a war. The Europeans made similar statements, they tried in every way to drag us into a war with Russia, demanded that mercenaries be sent to Ukraine and sanctions be imposed against Russia," Papuashvili said ( quoted by Sputnik Georgia).

The speaker of parliament noted that international aid is increasingly viewed as a tool of pressure and is used by a number of countries to achieve political goals. He also criticized representatives of the United National Movement, noting that they only need power "to fulfill foreign orders."

After the start of the Russian special operation in Ukraine, the Georgian authorities condemned Moscow's actions, but did not impose sanctions against Russia. The chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Irakli Kobakhidze, noted that he would not allow the country to be drawn into the conflict in Ukraine. "There was a direct attempt [in Georgia] to organize the sending of volunteers to participate in the conflict, it was not achieved, and this very sad step followed," he said.

In Ukraine, the Georgian National Legion (recognized as terrorist and banned in Russia) is operating against Russian troops. The legion members, according to the FSB, are also involved in organizing sabotage and terrorist attacks on Russian territory. The legion is currently considered the largest armed formation staffed on a national basis, the special service indicated.

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev called foreign mercenaries in Ukraine legitimate targets for Russian troops. The official representative of the Ministry of Defense, Major General Igor Konashenkov, also said that the mercenaries who arrived in Ukraine are not combatants. "They came to Ukraine to make money by killing Slavs. Therefore, the best that awaits them is criminal liability and long prison terms," ​​the general emphasized.