Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili in Paris on Dec. 7 where they discussed the escalating political crisis in Georgia, which has been beset by protests and allegations of election fraud, according to Zelensky's press service.
Zelensky voiced Ukraine’s support for the Georgian people, who have been incensed by its government’s decision to delay European Union accession negotiations until 2028.
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“We are with your people, and we always support your country – your way of life and your choice of future membership in the EU and NATO. We are always with your people. We see everything, we support you,” Zelensky said during the meeting.
Zourabichvili detailed the challenges facing Georgia, including widespread election violations during the recent parliamentary vote and the repression of mass protests against what she termed as electoral fraud.
She highlighted the intimidation of demonstrators and restrictions on voting rights for Georgians living abroad as key issues.
Zourabichvili expressed gratitude for Ukraine’s recent sanctions against Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the Georgian Dream party, and 18 associates, including high-ranking officials such as Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. The sanctions target those accused of steering Georgia closer to Russia’s orbit and away from European integration.
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Zelensky emphasized the importance of international solidarity in countering such actions.
“We really wanted to show our partners, who are very strong in the world – the EU, the United States – that we must stand together with you, with Georgia, with your people,” he said.
The meeting comes amid heightened tensions in Georgia, as citizens demand accountability and transparency from their government while asserting their desire for a European future.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tbilisi on Sunday, marking the 11th consecutive day of demonstrations against the Georgian government’s decision to halt European Union accession talks, as reported by AFP. The protests, originally in response to the allegations of election fraud in last month’s parliamentary polls, have escalated into a broader political crisis.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s announcement last week that EU candidate Tbilisi would not seek to open accession talks has fueled public anger. The move has reignited accusations from the pro-Western opposition and President Zourabichvili that the ruling Georgian Dream party manipulated the Oct. 26 election results to secure victory.
The protests have drawn tens of thousands of demonstrators onto the streets, with riot police responding with tear gas and water cannons. The interior ministry reported on Sunday that 402 protesters had been arrested since Nov. 28, with more than 30 facing criminal charges.
Despite Kobakhidze’s dismissal of the protesters as “violent groups” under opposition control, the demonstrations have remained largely peaceful. In language reminiscent of the Kremlin’s rhetoric, he accused the protesters of attempting a failed revolution and threatened action against “liberal fascists.”
Kobakhidze praised security forces for “successfully neutralizing the protesters’ capacity for violence,” though clashes with police have subsided in recent days.
On Sunday evening, thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the parliament building in Tbilisi, waving EU flags and banging on metal barriers blocking the entrance. An AFP reporter described the scene as protesters loudly blew horns and whistles while city workers began erecting a giant Christmas tree nearby.
The tree quickly became a focal point for demonstrators, who hung photos of individuals allegedly beaten by police - many with visible bruises and swollen faces - alongside signs reading “Bloody Christmas tree.”
The opposition has vowed to continue the rallies, demanding accountability from the government and a renewed commitment to Georgia’s European future.
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