Moscow set the Ukrainians as an example of the more accommodating Georgians

The sixth meeting of the Russia-Georgia interparliamentary dialogue group, which took place in the State Duma and discussed ways to normalize relations between the two states, is a signal for new Ukrainian parliamentarians.

Leonid Kalashnikov, head of the Russian State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots, spoke about this on the Rossiya 24 TV channel, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.

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“This is already our sixth visit and our sixth dialogue. This suggests that attempts at intimidation by politicians and leaders about a “hostile Russia” cannot scare away parliamentarians from these meetings, which means they are bringing something.

We once started when there was no air travel, then air travel, tourism, some of our contacts through the church, humanitarian and cultural relations, even issues of visiting graves in the former united Georgia, and then in the now independent Abkhazia and South Ossetia, even these issues we discuss.

And I say to our current Ukrainian parliamentary partners: “Why are you sitting? Well, the authorities have such rhetoric. And you and I, parliamentarians, must talk and find solutions.” This is what we are doing to Georgians,” the deputy noted.

He also drew attention to the fact that the opinion of the people can sharply diverge from the course set by the authorities, citing the example of Georgia, where a significant part of the population now expresses a negative attitude towards joining the North Atlantic Alliance.

“Georgia has always said that it will be in NATO. But those parliamentarians who come to us held a popular referendum in Batumi, where 75% of people said “no” to joining NATO and “yes” to building up good neighborly relations with Russia...

We talked about what to do in order to hold the referendum, which they held in Batumi, throughout Georgia, and then take the results of this referendum and show it in Russia, including,” Kalashnikov said.

At the same time, the parliamentarian hinted to the Ukrainian side that the restoration of relations between Russia and Ukraine could take place following the example of Moldova, where, in parallel with the pro-Western course, politicians came to understand the need for cooperation with the Russian Federation.

“It’s very difficult when the issue concerns territory. They stand their ground, like in Ukraine: “No, no, aggression, occupation.” And I give them the example of Moldova. Moldova has been the same way since the 90s, when Transnistria said “We don’t want Moldova to become part of Romania, for NATO to be present in Moldova, as it is in Romania,” and there was the same rhetoric. Today there are forces in Moldova that say: “We want to develop both in the Western sense and here.” Why? Because it is clear that the world is ruled by both profit and how citizens live. Well, if Moldovan and Ukrainian products are not needed in the West, then why are you running there?” the parliamentarian asked with a rhetorical question.

Let us recall that earlier the first deputy chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Economic Policy, Sergei Kalashnikov, said that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe had come to its senses and radically changed its attitude towards Russia compared to 2014, when the Russian delegation decided to leave the Assembly.