U.S. Secretary of State on 14th Anniversary of 2008 War

The U.S. State Department released Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s statement on 7 August regarding the 14th anniversary of the Russo-Georgian 2008 August War in which he stated the U.S. remains, “steadfast in our support for the people of Georgia as they seek to protect their sovereignty and territorial integrity and find a peaceful solution to the conflict.”

Secretary of State Blinken emphasized that fourteen years after Russia invaded Georgia, the US continues to remember “those killed and injured by Russian forces.”

“For decades, the citizens of Georgia in Abkhazia and South Ossetia have lived under Russian occupation and tens of thousands have been displaced, persecuted, and impoverished,” he said. “Lives and livelihoods have been taken from them.”

The Secretary of State also touched on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and denoted that it “underscores the need for the people of Georgia and Ukraine to stand together in solidarity.” “The people of Georgia know all too well how Russia’s aggressive actions, including disinformation, so-called ‘borderization,’ and mass displacement cause untold hardships and destruction,” he added.

The top diplomat stressed that Russia must be held “accountable to the commitments it made under the 2008 ceasefire – withdrawing its forces to pre-conflict positions and allowing unfettered access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance.”

He also said that it must reverse its recognition of Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which is “essential for hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons to be able to return to their homes safely and with dignity.”

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