Russia has expressed a willingness to discuss the withdrawal of its troops from the occupied regions of Georgia. This announcement came from Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who indicated Russia’s readiness to assist in reconciling Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two separatist areas under heavy Russian military influence since 2008.
During a speech at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Lavrov stated, “The current Georgian leadership is honestly assessing the past, declaring their desire for historical reconciliation.” He emphasized that the method and shape of this reconciliation is up to the involved countries—Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Georgia.
“If there is interest from all sides in normalizing these relations and ensuring non-aggression, we will be ready to help,” Lavrov added.
Georgia regards Abkhazia and South Ossetia as occupied territories, a sentiment echoed by most Western nations, including the U.S. In contrast, Russia—along with countries like Venezuela and Syria—views these regions as independent states.
The conflict traces back to 2008 when Russian troops entered South Ossetia, igniting a five-day war that led to significant territorial changes. Kakha Kaladze, Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party and Tbilisi’s mayor, welcomed Lavrov’s remarks but urged for tangible steps to follow. “It’s positive that Russia supports reconciliation, but we need effective actions,” he stated.
As Georgian elections loom at the end of October, the Georgian Dream party has sought to strengthen ties with Russia and has resisted calls for trade sanctions over the Ukraine war. Party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili previously announced intentions to “find the strength” to apologize for the 2008 conflict, triggering protests in Tbilisi from those impacted by the violence.
A troop withdrawal could potentially ease Russia’s military workload, especially as tensions rise due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces recently reported the successful targeting of Russian operatives using jet skis for maneuvers along the Dnieper River.