The US ambassador to Georgia assessed the meeting of the Russian president and the leader of the occupied Tskhinvali region Sochi.

Ian Kelly says that as South Ossetia is an integral part of Georgia, like Abkhazia, this meeting was illegitimate.

"We do not recognize the status of the leaders of these two regions and will never change the position in this regard. We do not recognize any status of South Ossetia or Abkhazia. They are inseparable parts of Georgia and will always remain so, so this meeting is not legitimate. We support Georgia`s attempts to reintegrate these regions. We also support the pragmatic dialogue with Russia in Geneva and Karasin-Abashidze format. I think we should look at this issue with a long-term perspective, " -
said Jan Kelly.