The Social Justice Center expresses solidarity with the Ukrainian people’s struggle for freedom and condolences for the heavy loss of life. We believe this fight will give birth to Ukraine's revival, development, and long-term peace in Europe.

For a year, the world has been watching Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the declared goal of which was to destroy Ukraine as a sovereign state. This imperialist intent has already resulted in tens of thousands of victims, millions of refugees, and ruined cities. The violation of international law and security agreements by Russia poses a threat to its neighboring countries and Europe, and the entire world, as it undermines the rules-based international order, peace, and stability.

This war also puts Georgia's security, economy, and politics under a heavy blow. Against the background of the changing European security, the diplomatic or political steps taken by the Georgian authorities and the prospects of the country's security are unclear. Given unjustified disagreements with strategic partners, heterogeneous foreign policy orientation, and growing authoritarianism, Georgia's security is increasingly losing its place in the European security agenda. Unfortunately, the country is moving away from the new possibility of joining the European Union day by day.

For us, the Georgian government’s political and diplomatic disagreements with Ukraine, the basis of which, at first glance, are narrow party interests, are unacceptable and unjustified. Apparently, the ruling party has not realized that Ukraine’s victory is the victory of Georgia as well.

We are concerned about the government's inconsistent statements and political manipulations concerning the conflict regions of Georgia. On the one hand, commitment to the peaceful settlement of conflicts is declared, while, on the other hand, the government representatives are developing the theory of the "second war-place." We assess this as a gross instrumentalization of the fears and traumas of the Georgian, Abkhaz, and Ossetian communities divided by the conflict to achieve political party goals. Against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine and large-scale sanctions against Russia, there are deep-rooted fears in Abkhazia and South Ossetia regarding their future security and well-being, which, with the support of international partners, should have become the basis for the Georgian side to provide new offers and alternatives. However, a fundamental turn in the peace policy is still not visible.

Given the current challenges, it is highly damaging for our country to use foreign policy, security, and peace issues as internal political tools and limit them to party interests. Unfortunately, Russia’s aggressive war in Ukraine, changed the geopolitical situation and new opportunities for EU integration instead of becoming a new prospect for Georgia for internal consolidation and cooperation with partners, including Ukraine, the country is increasingly on the path of isolation and entering into a political crisis. This harms both the possibilities for democracy and prosperity at home and the future of security and development in Western regional systems.

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