Georgia accuses Russia of taking 'destabilizing' steps towards Black Sea region

By Davit Kachkachishvili

TBILISI, Georgia (AA) – Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Tuesday accused Russia of taking "aggressive and destabilizing" steps towards her country and the Black Sea region.

"The new steps (by Moscow) and the transfer of the new military base and airport from Ochamchire to Russia ...represent new aggressive steps towards Georgia and destabilizing steps towards the Black Sea," Zourabichvili said during a press conference in the capital Tbilisi, alongside her Icelandic counterpart Gudni Johannesson.

Expressing that she is pleased to host Johannesson in Tbilisi, Zourabichvili said her country is waiting for the decision to start EU accession negotiations after Georgia was given the EU candidate status in December last year.

Zourabichvili further said that the world is going through a period of important developments, calling it extremely important for Europe in general.

“The future of Europe is being determined in Ukraine. This brutal war there must end with the defeat of the aggressor (Russia) and the restoration of (Ukraine's) sovereignty," Zourabichvili said.

The Georgian president expressed her country's solidarity with Ukraine and its people.

In October 2023, Russia and Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia signed a deal to establish a Black Sea Fleet naval facility in the Ochamchira district.

In 1992-1993, Georgia fought a 13-month war with Abkhazian separatists backed by Russia.

In August 2008, another conflict known as the South Ossetian War broke out in the region. After eight days of fighting, Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia unilaterally declared independence from Georgia.

Russia supported the decision, which led to Georgia's decision to break diplomatic ties with Moscow.

*Writing by Burc Eruygur in Istanbul