Tbilisi: Ukrainian Chargé Unable to Back Up Smuggling Claims

Georgian Foreign Ministry said Ukraine’s Chargé d’Affaires Andrii Kasianov “could provide no evidence” to back up Kyiv’s claim that Tbilisi allows Russia to set up a smuggling route through Georgia during a meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister Teimuraz Janjalia today.

In the meeting the Georgian side meanwhile again denied the allegation and relayed relevant the positions of the Finance Ministry and State Security Service to the Ukrainian diplomat, the Foreign Ministry reported.

The Georgian diplomats also stressed that spreading such information harms relations between the two countries and puts Georgia’s security in jeopardy, according to the report.

The Foreign Ministry added that the sides also discussed Georgia’s support to Ukraine, including humanitarian assistance, accepting refugees and backing international statements and resolutions about the war.

Ukrainian Embassy in Tbilisi has not issued a public statement about the meeting.

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry Intelligence claimed on April 4 that Georgia’s political leadership had instructed security services not to interfere with the activities of Russian smugglers, trying to circumvent international sanctions through a route in Georgia.

The accusation came amid already strained relations between Tbilisi and Kyiv, after Ukraine recalled its Ambassador to Georgia over the “immoral position” of Irakli Garibashvili’s cabinet on Russia sanctions and for barring Georgian volunteers from flying to Ukraine. 

Georgian officials have also seemingly defied Kyiv’s calls to distance from Moscow’s decision to allow Georgian dairy import.

Amid growing criticism from Kyiv, Georgian Dream leadership has argued that former United National Movement officials “occupying some quite high positions in Ukraine” are influencing the decisions of the Ukrainian authorities.

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