U.S., 5 Western nations demand Russia return areas it took from neighboring Georgia 15 years in the past

UNITED NATIONS — Six Western nations marked the fifteenth anniversary of Russia’s takeover of 20% of Georgia’s territory by demanding on Thursday that Moscow return the South Ossetia and Abkhazia areas.

A joint assertion by the six members of the U.N. Security Council – the United States, United Kingdom, France, Albania, Japan and Malta – mentioned Russia’s invasion of Georgia in 2008 “marked a more aggressive trend” in its coverage towards its neighbors, one thing being witnessed right now in Ukraine.

The assertion, following closed council consultations on Georgia, mentioned the six nations “are resolute” in reaffirming the nation’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity “within its internationally recognized borders.”

In August 2008, Russia fought a quick battle with Georgia, which had made a botched try to regain management over the breakaway province of South Ossetia. Moscow then acknowledged the independence of South Ossetia and one other breakaway Georgian province, Abkhazia, and arrange navy bases there.

The assertion, learn by Albanian Ambassador Ferit Hoxha outdoors the Security Council surrounded by diplomats from the 5 different nations, condemned Russia’s “brutal invasion” and continued occupation of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and its “steps toward annexation of these Georgian regions.”

The Western nations additionally reiterated their condemnation of Moscow for “continuous provocations which go in parallel with the Russian Federation’s unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Ukraine.”

They pointed to Russia’s continued navy drills in Georgia’s territory, sea and airspace in addition to its erection of barbed wire fences and different boundaries, its illegal detentions and abductions of native folks, discrimination towards ethnic Georgians, and deliberate injury to Georgian cultural heritage.

The six nations mentioned the Russia-Georgia battle must be resolved peacefully primarily based on worldwide regulation, together with the U.N. Charter, which requires each nation’s territorial integrity be acknowledged, “also noting the context of Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine.”

Russia’s deputy U.N. ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, known as the Western assertion “hypocrisy” in a tweet, saying Georgia misplaced territory due to a “reckless gamble.”

Russia resumed direct flights with Georgia in May, and Polyansky mentioned Moscow’s ties with the nation “are gradually improving, enabling tourist and economic exchanges.”

“But the Russophobic West is not happy and trying to drive the wedge between us at any price,” he mentioned. “This statement is a clear illustration of this.”

Polyansky known as the state of affairs “especially sickening and hypocritical” understanding that Ukraine turned “anti-Russia” in 2014, when Moscow annexed Crimea. He mentioned Ukraine “is being sacrificed right now by the U.S. and its allies for Western geopolitical interests in a futile NATO proxy war against Russia until the last Ukrainian.”