Ukraine urges Georgia to join international sanctions against Russia

By Davit Kachkachishvili

KYIV, Ukraine (AA) - The Ukrainian parliament speaker on Saturday called on the Georgian government to join international sanctions against Russia.

"I thank Georgian people for their support to Ukraine in the international arena and for their contribution to the fight against Russia," Ruslan Stefanchuk told a news conference in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, alongside his Georgian counterpart Shalva Papuashvili.

Earlier, Stefanchuk and Papuashvili visited Bucha, Irpin, and Borodianka cities which Russian forces withdrew from.

Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia share similar goals and they will continue to work to further strengthen the friendly ties, Stefanchuk said.

For his part, the Georgian parliament speaker said Tbilisi and Kyiv enjoy friendly ties and he visited the Ukrainian capital to show solidarity with people.

"Russia must end this war and respect Ukraine's territorial integrity in line with the agreed international borders," said Papuashvili.

He also said it is not possible to express in words the painful scenes they saw in the cities they visited near Kyiv.

"Our cities and hopes were also bombed and destroyed. So we, Georgians, understand your pain very well," Papuashvili said, referring to Russia's attacks on Georgia's regions in the past.

Russia's war on Ukraine has drawn international condemnations, with the US, UK, and European Union, among others, imposing a host of sanctions on Moscow.

At least 1,982 civilians have been killed and 2,651 injured in Ukraine since the start of the war on Feb. 24, according to UN estimates, with the true figure believed to be much higher.

More than 4.8 million Ukrainians have fled to other countries, with over 7 million more internally displaced, said the UN refugee agency.