The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia summoned the temporary charge dʼaffaires of Ukraine Oleksandr Shulha in connection with the introduction of sanctions against the Georgian carrier Georgian Airways.
This was reported by the Georgian TV channel Imedi.
The Ukrainian diplomatʼs visit the Georgian MFA lasted about half an hour, after which Shulha did not make any comments to the media. The Foreign Ministry of Georgia has not yet commented on the diplomatʼs challenge.
The Georgian airline Georgian Airways, which resumed flights to Russia, and its director Tamaz Gaiashvili were included in the updated list of Ukrainian sanctions.
- On May 10, 2023, Putin signed a decree and canceled the visa regime for Georgian citizens from May 15, 2023, and also canceled the ban on air transportation from Russia to Georgia, which was in effect since June 2019.
- Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili called it a provocation and even convened the countryʼs Security Council. Instead, the Georgian government sees nothing wrong with resuming air traffic.
- Georgia has declared that it will not allow sanctioned airlines and planes into its airspace, the EU has warned it about this. On May 15, Georgia issued the first permission for flights to Russia since 2019. It was received by the Russian airline Azimut, the second permission was received by the Georgian airline Georgian Airways, and the third by the Russian airline Red Wings (its planes flew to occupied Crimea).