Polish, Georgian presidents express solidarity with Ukraine

By Davit Kachkachishvili

TBILISI, Georgia (AA) - Poland’s president and his Georgian counterpart expressed solidarity Thursday with Ukraine amid its tensions with Russia.

Andrzej Duda, on his way to China's capital Beijing, arrived in the Georgian capital Tbilisi and met with President Salome Zourabichvili.

Meeting at Tbilisi International Airport, the two leaders held a news conference on Russia-Ukraine tensions.

"In this very tense situation, on behalf of Georgia, I would like to express our full solidarity with our friendly country," said Zourabichvili.

Noting that the current threats are actually threats to the security of Europe as a whole, she went on to say that the security of Europe is also the security of Georgia.

For his part, President Duda mentioned his meetings with other world leaders on the issue, adding this is not just an issue that concerns Europe but the world.

"We express our solidarity (with Ukraine), and in general, all security related issues are very important to us," he added.

Later, Duda left Tbilisi to visit China.

Ukraine and Russia have been locked in conflict since hostilities in the eastern Donbas region broke out in 2014 after Russia illegally annexed the Crimean Peninsula.

Russia has reportedly amassed tens of thousands of troops near Ukraine's border, prompting fears that the Kremlin could be planning another military offensive against its former Soviet republic.​​​​​​​

Moscow has denied that it is preparing to invade, saying its troops are there for exercises.