Kyiv doesn’t recognize Kavelashvili as Georgian president after flawed election

Ukraine doesn’t acknowledge the outcome of the December presidential election during which Kremlin-friendly politician Mikheil Kavelashvili claimed victory in what international election monitors said was neither free nor fair. 

“We condemn the decision [by the Georgian government] to suspend EU integration, the numerous violations during the parliamentary elections, and the disproportionate repression of Georgian authorities against their own citizens,” Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Andrii Sybiha told European Pravda. 

He said Ukraine’s election assessment is aligned with that of the European Union. 

“As a country striving for full EU membership, we are committed to joining the EU’s political assessments and statements,” Sybiha said. 

Kyiv has carefully reviewed the election monitoring report conducted by the Vienna-based Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), he said. 

“The OSCE’s main recommendation is to hold new elections to address the root cause of these issues. Let me emphasize: no country, especially Russia, has the right to veto a nation’s geopolitical choice or its participation in international alliances,” Sybiha said. 

Ukraine was one of the first to impose sanctions on officials involved in the violation of Georgian citizens’ rights. 

“Upholding democratic values, protecting human rights, and adhering to standards are not just empty words for us as a country that has experienced its own Maidan [pro-democratic] movements,” Sybiha said. 

He said that he did not believe in successful governments or power structures built against the will of the people.

“We also firmly believe that the Georgian people’s choice is Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspiration.”

The Ukrainian World Congress stands with the people of Georgia and condemns the illegitimate inauguration of Georgia’s pro-Russian President Mikheil Kavelashvili. This election, which has been declared illegitimate by most democratic countries, further consolidates authoritarian rule and undermines the democratic will of the Georgian people.