Former Russian Prime Minister and businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili claimed that the West encouraged Georgia to go to war with Russia, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Lavrov stated his belief in Ivanishvili’s claims at the BRICS group summit in Kazan, citing the Georgian leadership’s dialogues with Western countries as evidence.
Ivanishvili recounted a conversation with ex-PM Irakli Garibashvili, where a senior Western official proposed a short war with Russia, assuring that Georgians wouldn’t all be killed and could start a guerrilla movement in the forest. While the offer was rejected, it prompted the Georgian government to react harshly to similar proposals.
These claims align with previous statements from Georgian officials about pressure to enter the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Despite this, Georgia has maintained a neutral stance, refusing to join Western sanctions against Russia or provide direct support to combatants.
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