Since their independence from the Soviet Union, Georgia and Ukraine have forged close political and cultural relations. The diplomatic relations between the two nations are realized at the level of embassies and consulates. Due to the prosecution in Georgia of Georgian/Ukrainian politician Mikheil Saakashvili and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, relations between the two countries have soured significantly.[1]
The first significant contact between Georgian and Ukrainian people occurred during the 18th century. Life and creative work of a famous Georgian poet and distinguished officer Davit Guramishvili were closely bound up with Ukraine: in 1760 the poet settled down in Myrhorod, where he lived till the end of his life. Guramishvili's literary work was started in Georgia, but his poetic talent become fully apparent exactly in Ukraine. Autobiographical collected poems Davitiani (1787), the poet's most distinguished work, were created in Ukraine. His other poem "Joyous Spring" was full of sympathy towards peasants and had vivid Ukrainian colouring. The other noted emigrant, Prince Nikolay Tsertelev (Tsereteli, 1790–1869). Although Georgian by origin and Russian by education, he grew up in Ukraine and developed a deep attachments to its people, being one of the earliest enthusiasts of Ukrainian folklore and a staunch local patriot.[2]
The famous Ukrainian poet Lesya Ukrainka settled in Georgia in 1913 with her husband Klyment Kvitka. She died soon afterwards in Tbilisi. The poems of Ukrainka and Taras Shevchenko were translated into Georgian in 1922 (most of the poems of Shevchenko were taught in the Georgian schools before and during the Soviet period). Ukrainians and Georgians soon found themselves in the same political reality. Both countries opposed Russian domination and resisted Russification attempts by the Tsarist and later Soviet Russia.
In 1942, head of OUNStepan Bandera appealed to the Georgian nation to join his fight against the Soviet authorities and for national liberation. Many Georgians who left their country during the 1921 Red Army invasion of Georgia have settled in Poland. Many of them who had military education crossed into Ukraine and joined the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (Українська Повстанська Армія) against the Soviet regime. In 1943 UPA general Roman Shukhevych created the Georgian battalion of UPA (Грузинська дивізія УПА) which lasted until 1945.[citation needed]
In the last year of the existence of the Soviet Union, Ukraine participated in the union-wide referendum to preserve the Soviet Union in a different form made by Mikhail Gorbachev, while Georgia (aside from Abkhazia) did not. The next month, on April 9, Georgia declared independence from the Soviet Union while Ukraine, the second largest republic behind the Russian SFSR, did so on August 24 after the failed coup in Moscow two days earlier. Eventually, Ukraine held a referendum that took place on December 1 leaves with a 90% favor of independence. The secession ended the chances of the Union staying together, especially on a limited scale. The independence of both countries were recognized by the United States on December 25, 1991.
In 1992, during the War in Abkhazia, the Ukrainian National Assembly called for volunteers to join their newly created military formation UNSO-Argo with intent to aid Georgian side against the Russian-backed Abkhaz separatists during the conflict.[3][4] UNSO-Argo (named after Argonauts) with its 150 fighters were deployed to Abkhazia and stationed in Gulripshi, Shroma, Tamishi and Sukhumi. During the full-scale offensive by the Russian and Abkhaz sides in August 1993 on Shroma, Ukrainians managed to repel the attack but lost seven members of their battalion. However, on September 15, 1993, the Ukrainian battalion retreated from Shroma after being outnumbered by the Kuban Cossack formations. Some of the fighters of UNSO-Argo received Georgian medals of Vakhtang Gorgasal's Order, I class.[citation needed]
In January 1996, Ukraine signed a CIS treaty imposing economic sanctions on Abkhazia.
During the Shevardnadze era, the Georgian government maintained its close relations with Ukraine. However, the relationship has further enhanced after Rose Revolution in Georgia and Orange Revolution in Ukraine. During the Orange Revolution, many Georgians rallied in Kyiv in support of Viktor Yushchenko. Both countries maintain pro-western political orientation and aspire to join NATO and the European Union. The close friendship between Presidents Mikheil Saakashvili and Viktor Yushchenko has also played an important role in recent political unity of the two countries.
War in Eastern Ukraine and Annexation of Crimea
In 2014, Georgia condemned the Russian annexation of Crimea, voicing support for Ukraine. Georgia imposed a ban on trade and financial transactions with Crimea. This measure mirrored Ukraine's restrictions on such dealings with Georgia's breakaway regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and was meant to signal Georgia's support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine.[5]
Additionally, the Georgian Legion was formed by Georgian volunteers to take part in the war in Donbas on the side of Ukraine. The unit was organized in 2014,[6] and in 2016 it was transferred under the control of the Ukrainian Army, under the 25th Mechanized Infantry Battalion "Kyiv Rus". The group is commanded by Mamuka Mamulashvili, a veteran Georgian officer.[7][6]
Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili left Georgia after his second term expired in 2013 and soon moved to Ukraine. The new Georgian government brought criminal charges against him, and he was sentenced in absentia to 6 years in prison by the Tbilisi City Court. Ukraine has rejected Tbilisi's request for the extradition.[8] In 2015, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko appointed Saakashvili as governor of Odesa Oblast, Ukraine's largest province. After his appointment relations between the two countries soured, and for several years Ukraine did not have an Ambassador to Georgia.[9]
Following Saakashvili's resignation from the post of Odesa governor in November 2016, bilateral relations between the two countries began improving.[10] In March 2017, Ukraine, which was at the time a temporary member of the United Nations Security Council, proposed a resolution supporting the territorial integrity of Georgia. However, Russia used its power as a permanent member of the council to veto any further discussion on the matter.[11] Georgia and Ukraine, along with Azerbaijan and Moldova, also vowed to renew their economic ties through GUAM, an economic organization consisting of the four countries.[12]
Georgia and Ukraine have maintained some military ties as well. In 2018, Georgia and Ukraine each participated in Operation Noble Partner 18, and Georgian soldiers and Ukrainian marines conducted urban operations exercises together.[13]
Relations between Ukraine and Georgia again began to deteriorate in 2020 after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Saakashvili as a head of the executive committee of the National Reform Council of Ukraine. In June 2020, Georgia decided to recall its ambassador to Kyiv.[14]
The relations further deteriorated after Mikheil Saakashvili returned to Georgia in October 2021. By this time Saakashvili had already been condemned by the Tbilisi City Court to six years in prison in absentia for abuse of power, embezzlement, and his implication in the attempted murder of an opposition lawmaker.[15][16] Saakashvili's return to Georgia became known to the public after he published a video that, according to his description, had been taken in Batumi. The ruling party, "Georgian Dream" called the video "deepfake" and stated that Saakashvili was in Ukraine and had not left the territory of Ukraine. Mamuka Mdinaradze, a leader of the Georgia's ruling party, said that the Georgian government had "specific information" that Saakashvili did not leave the territory of Ukraine at all.[17] However, later it was confirmed that Saakashvili was actually in Georgia, and he was arrested by the police. This situation led to further straining of the Georgia-Ukraine relations. The investigation found out that Saakashvili entered Georgia secretly, hiding in a semi-trailer truck loaded with milk products, bypassing the customs control.[18] In response to arrest of Mikheil Saakashvili, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he would use "various means" to return Saakashvili back to the country. This was criticized by the Georgian authorities.[19]
Russian invasion of Ukraine
The Russian invasion of Ukraine caused even more discord between Georgia and Ukraine. This was related to claims that Ukraine was pressuring Georgia to open a "second front" against Russia. Particularly, the Secretary of the National Security Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov, Zelenskiy's advisor Oleksiy Arestovych and the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada (parliament) deputy Oleksiy Goncharenko suggested that Georgia should "open a second front" against Russia to retake Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgian officials accused Ukraine of pursuing its own interests at the expense of Georgia, saying that "opening a second front" would alleviate Ukraine's situation, but bring suffering and destruction to Georgia as Russia's army is considerably stronger and well-equipped compared to Georgia's. The chairman of Georgia's ruling party Irakli Kobakhidze said that Georgia had the military means to "make the situation worse for Russia", but doing so would "come at the cost of destroying Georgia". Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili alleged that Ukraine was seeking to drag Georgia into the war against Russia.
Another point of contention between Georgia and Ukraine was Georgia's position regarding international sanctions against Russia. During the invasion, Georgia announced support for Ukraine and condemned Russia's actions, adopting a supportive resolution for Ukraine and voting in favor of Ukraine at the diplomatic forums.[20] However, Georgia did not join economic sanctions imposed on Russia by Western countries. Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said that Georgia could not afford to impose sanctions on Russia because it would hurt the Georgian economy more than it would hurt Russia. Moreover, Georgia feared a possible escalation of the tensions with Russia, citing absence of any security guarantees in case of a confrontation. Garibashvili also recalled the Russia-Georgia war in 2008 and stressed that no sanctions had been imposed by the Western countries on Russia following its invasion.[21] This left Ukrainian officials dissatisfied with Georgia's position.[22] Kyiv has responded by recalling its ambassador from Georgia for consultation.
Ukraine's intelligence released a statement accusing Georgia of helping Russia to evade international sanctions.[23] Tbilisi has responded by calling accusations "misinformation" and "totally unacceptable", asking Kyiv to provide an evidence or apologize.[23] Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated that Kyiv was still awaiting confirmation from Georgia that it supported Ukraine and not Russia.[23] The Georgian Government denied any claims of helping Russia to evade sanctions, highlighting that Georgia "strictly observed" all international sanctions imposed on Russia and did everything it could to support Ukraine politically and diplomatically.[24]Nikoloz Samkharadze, Chair of Foreign Relations Committee of Georgian Parliament in an interview with Vice stated that "Georgia is the most exposed country in the world to the Russian aggression. The Russian troops are stationed 30 kilometers away from where we are sitting right now, from the heart of the Tbilisi. So, in this circumstances, I think Georgia is punching above its weight when it supports Ukraine at diplomatic forum, politically and also in humanitarian dimension".
Georgian authorities claimed that the Ukrainian government falsely accused Georgia of helping Russia to evade sanctions in order to drag Georgia into the war against Russia. Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said that Ukraine sent ex-President Mikhail Saakashvili from Ukraine to "open second front" in Georgia against Russia. However, Saakashvili was arrested and the Ukrainian Government asked Tbilisi to release Saakashvili to Kyiv. Georgian Prime Minister claimed at a speech in parliament that the Ukrainian Government and the Georgian opposition were close ideological partners.[25] Vice Prime Minister of Georgia Tea Tsulukiani accused the Ukrainian Government of repeating the narratives of the party of Mikheil Saakashvili about Russia evading international sanctions through Georgia.[26][27]
On June 26, 2022, Ukrainian President Zelensky has signed a decree dismissing Ukraine's Ambassador to Georgia, Ihor Dolhov.[28]
On July 3, 2023, President Zelensky ordered expulsion of Georgian ambassador from Kyiv, this was done after Zelensky accused the Georgian government of "killing Saakashvili in prison".[1][30] According to Zelensky, Ukraine had "repeatedly called on official Tbilisi to stop this mockery and agree on the return of Saakashvili to Ukraine."[31]
There are many cultural events in both countries, celebrating close relations between Georgian and Ukrainian people. In 2007, Georgians unveiled a statue to Taras Shevchenko in Tbilisi while Ukrainians erected the statue of Georgia's epic poet Shota Rustaveli in Kyiv.
Mikheil Saakashvili is a Georgian and Ukrainian politician and jurist. He was the third president of Georgia for two consecutive terms from 25 January 2004 to 17 November 2013. From May 2015 until November 2016, Saakashvili was the governor of Ukraine's Odesa Oblast. He is the founder and former chairman of the United National Movement party. Saakashvili heads the executive committee of Ukraine's National Reform Council since 7 May 2020. In 2021 he began serving a six-year prison sentence in Georgia on charges of abuse of power and organization of an assault occasioning grievous bodily harm against an opposition lawmaker Valery Gelashvili.
Irakli Okruashvili is a Georgian politician who had served on various important posts in the Government of Georgia under President Mikheil Saakashvili, including being the Minister of Defense from December 2004 until being dismissed in November 2006.
Irakli Alasania is a Georgian politician, soldier and former diplomat who served as the Minister of Defense of Georgia from 2012 to 2014. He was Georgia's Ambassador to the United Nations from September 11, 2006, until December 4, 2008. His previous assignments include Chairman of the Government of Abkhazia(-in-exile) and the President of Georgia's aide in the Georgian-Abkhaz talks. Soon after his resignation, Alasania withdrew into opposition to the Mikheil Saakashvili administration, setting up the Our Georgia – Free Democrats party in July 2009. In 2012 Alasania was appointed Minister of Defense, a position he held until 2014.
Russia and Georgia have had relations for centuries. The contacts between the two date back to the 15th and 16th centuries, and the most important stage started in the 1580s, when the Georgian kingdom of Kakheti and the Russian Empire signed a treaty of alliance in 1587. Since then, Georgia–Russia relations have been developing vibrantly and culminated in the Treaty of Georgievsk, which established eastern Georgia as a protectorate of Russia. At that time, Georgia saw Russia as a powerful Christian and modernizing neighbor, capable of protecting Georgia from invading Muslim empires and North Caucasian raiders.
Bidzina Ivanishvili is a Georgian politician and oligarch, who served as Prime Minister of Georgia from October 2012 to November 2013.
Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia is a political party in Georgia. The party was established on 19 April 2012 by the oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili. Georgian Dream and its partners in a coalition also named Georgian Dream won majorities in the 2012, 2016, and 2020 general elections. The party is currently led by Irakli Garibashvili as Party Chairman and Irakli Kobakhidze as Prime Minister.
Khatia Dekanoidze is a Georgian politician who served as Minister of Education and Science in 2012 and as a Member of Parliament since 2020, as well as a former Ukrainian official, serving as Chief of the National Police of Ukraine in 2015–2016.
Irakli Garibashvili is a Georgian politician and a former business executive who served as the prime minister of Georgia between 22 February 2021 and 29 January 2024. He had previously served as prime minister from 20 November 2013 until his resignation on 30 December 2015. Garibashvili is a member of the Georgian Dream party and has served as the party's chairman since 1 February 2024. He entered politics with his long-time associate Bidzina Ivanishvili, in October 2012.
In 2013, Georgia finalized its first-ever peaceful change of power and transition to a parliamentary republic. The Georgian Dream-dominated government, which came to power after defeating, in October 2012, the United National Movement led by the outgoing President Mikheil Saakashvili, promised more democratic reforms. The Georgian Dream candidate Giorgi Margvelashvili won the presidential election in October 2013 and the new constitution significantly reducing the authority of the president in favor of those of the prime minister and government came into effect. In November, the leader of the Georgian Dream, Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili announced his withdrawal from politics as promised earlier, and the Parliament of Georgia approved his nominee, Irakli Garibashvili, as the country's new head of government.
Events in the year 2014 in Georgia.
The following lists events that happened during 2015 in Georgia.
The 2019 protests in Georgia, also known as Gavrilov's Night, refers to a series of anti-government and snap election-demanding protests in the country of Georgia.
The 2021 Georgian local elections were held on 2 and 30 October to elect the bodies of local government of Georgia.
The second government of Irakli Garibashvili was the government of Georgia, led by Irakli Garibashvili as the Prime Minister from February 22, 2021 until January 29, 2024. Following the resignation of Giorgi Gakharia, the ruling Georgian Dream party nominated former Prime Minister and then-Minister of Defence Irakli Garibashvili to form a government. His cabinet was quickly confirmed by the Parliament four days later. The government was dissolved after Prime Minister Garibashvili's resignation on January 29, 2024. Garibashvili cited the rotation process as the main reason for his resignation, implying that other people in the ruling party should also be given a chance to lead. Garibashvili took up the offer to become the Chairman of the Georgian Dream party.
Parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held in Georgia on 26 October 2024.
Individuals and events related to Georgia in 2022.
Ilia Darchiashvili is a Georgian government official, diplomat, and a former bank manager, serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia since 4 April 2022.
Events in the year 2023 in Georgia.
The 2023 Georgian protests were a series of street demonstrations taking place throughout Georgia over parliamentary backing of a proposed "Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence", which requires NGOs to register as "agents of foreign influence" if the funds they receive from abroad amount to more than 20% of their total revenue. Police have been reported as using water cannons and tear gas to disperse the protests, especially in the capital Tbilisi. The parliament retracted the bill as a result of protests on 10 March 2023.
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