We welcome Georgia’s principled support to our common friend, Ukraine. Such a statement made today the Foreign Minister of the United Kingdom, James Cleverly, after the meeting with Georgian Foreign Minister.

“Thank you very much for giving me such a warm welcome in Georgia. I recently had the opportunity to host you in London, but this was the first opportunity to come to Georgia. I was very warmly welcomed in your beautiful country. Georgia has been a very important and valuable strategic partner for the United Kingdom for a long time. Our countries have had a very strong relationship for the past 30 years since we re-established diplomatic relations.

We have gone through a long period of bilateral cooperation and have benefited to the maximum from our historical ties. I remember the British Prime Minister at that time, Margaret Thatcher, I remember her visit to your country, four years later, the collapse of the Soviet Union took place. Your desire for freedom and desire for self-determination was clear then and is even stronger now.

Russia"s invasion of Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia in 2008 caused very deep human suffering, divided the country, divided families, restricted access to ancestral lands and sacred religious sites.

We continue to support your sovereignty and territorial integrity. South Ossetia and Abkhazia are an integral part of Georgia. We call on Russia to fulfill its obligations under the 2008 ceasefire agreement. We welcome Georgia"s principled support for our common friend, Ukraine, both in relation to sanctions against Russia and in admitting many Ukrainian refugees who were forced to leave their families due to Russian aggression”, - said James Cleverley.

He also touched on the issue related to Georgia’s European choice and noted that “just like in Ukraine, the people of Georgia have the right to determine their own future and destiny independently of external interference”.