On September 17, Sozar Subari, leader of the “People’s Power” party and number 11 on the electoral list of the “Georgian Dream,” responded to Bidzina Ivanishvili’s statement made in Gori, explaining that the only path to restoring territorial integrity is through a policy of consensus. Subari reiterated that the only alternative to peace is war, which would result in the deaths of thousands of innocent people and mass displacement. He further stated that the goal of “collective Gigaurs” (a reference to opposition figures) is to open a second front in Georgia. Drawing a parallel with Ukraine, Subari referenced Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski’s conversation with Russian pranksters, claiming that Sikorski said Ukraine, as a state, has no future after the war.
Sozar Subari: “What’s more, Poland’s Foreign Minister, Mr. Sikorski, said in a conversation with pranksters that Ukraine has no future – not only as a state but that after the war, even the territory of Ukraine will be uninhabitable.”
Subari’s remarks were reported uncritically by pro-government media outlets (POSTV, mpn, for.ge), as well as Georgia’s public broadcaster.
Sozar Subari quoted the Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski manipulatively. In his conversation with the Russian pranksters, Sikorski stated that 70% of Ukraine’s energy resources had been destroyed, and if the situation worsens, much of the country could soon become uninhabitable. He did not claim that Ukraine, as a state, has no future, nor did he suggest that the country would remain uninhabitable even after peace is restored.
The Russian pranksters Vovan and Lexus called Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, pretending to be Ukraine’s former president Petro Poroshenko. The full interview was posted on the pranksters’ Rumble account. The segment that Subari referenced begins at 4:21.
One of the topics discussed was Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Sikorski said the greatest threat Ukraine currently faces is the depletion of its energy resources. He noted that he had received information from Ukrainians that 70% of the country’s energy resources had been destroyed.
“I tell my people that if the situation worsens, then much of Ukraine will become uninhabitable, and this will trigger a new wave of refugees,” Sikorski said.
At no point during the interview did Sikorski state that Ukraine would remain uninhabitable even after peace is restored. Therefore, Sozar Subari’s statement misrepresents Sikorski’s words.
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