Ruling party head: sending volunteers to Ukraine means direct involvement in war

Head of the ruling Georgian Dream party Irakli Kobakhidze says that sending volunteers to Ukraine to fight against Russia ‘means a direct involvement in the war.’ 

By the statement Kobakhidze has responded to the reports made yesterday that Georgian volunteers were not able to leave for Ukraine from Tbilisi International Airport, the move which was criticized by the Ukrainian authorities. 

Kobakhidze stated earlier today that he was not aware of the details. However, he noted that the opposition United National Movement could stand behind the ‘organized sending’ of volunteers to Ukraine. 

Similar to government officials, Kobakidze accused the party of staging a provocation ‘against the interests of Georgia which could pose threats to the whole country.’ 

“Neither the US nor any of the  European countries are directly involved in the war. If organized groups of volunteers leave for Ukraine from Tbilisi it means that we are  directly involved in the war,” Kobakhidze said. 

He stated that if individual volunteers wish to fight in Ukraine, they could travel to some European states first and then arrive in Ukraine in this way. 

“In this case the government would not be responsible,” Kobakhidze said. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has recalled his country’s ambassador to Georgia earlier today. 

The refusal for the flight for volunteers has been cited as a reason for the move by Zelensky along with the Georgian Dream government’s denial to join international sanctions against Russia.