Russia is ready to expand pragmatic ties with Georgia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said in an interview with the TASS news agency.
“We are open to further expanding pragmatic ties with Tbilisi. Obviously, the key to Georgia’s successful development lies not in confrontation, but in cooperation with our country,” the diplomat noted.
“As for bilateral political contacts, they are currently non-existent. The reason lies in the Georgian side’s unreadiness for such a dialogue. It is, of course, difficult for me to judge how this helps Georgia overcome certain problems, but this is the decision of its authorities.”
The representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) also stated that, given the close intertwining of historical destinies and geography, Russia and Georgia are natural partners for each other.
“This is also evidenced by the fact that even unprecedented external pressure on Tbilisi and ultimatums demanding that it abandon interaction with our country did not produce the effect anticipated in the West.”
According to Galuzin, relations between Russia and Georgia are grounded in centuries-old historical and cultural bonds and a shared spiritual foundation. “Despite well-known political differences, we strive to build mutually respectful relations with Georgia. Indeed, recent years have shown significant progress in trade cooperation and tourism. Every fourth tourist in Georgia comes from Russia, and our sizeable market is the main destination for Georgia’s key export goods. We welcome this, as we consider it our task to create conditions for expanding humanitarian and business ties—in other words, what matters to the citizens of our countries.”