Kyiv Prepared to Ensure Saakashvili's Safety and Treatment: Zelensky's Office

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief advisor Mykhailo Podolyak has announced that Ukraine is ready to host former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to ensure his safety and treatment.

On Tuesday, Georgian opposition MP Aleko Elisashvili stated that Zelensky's call to the Georgian authorities to send Saakashvili to a foreign clinic for treatment constitutes interference in the country's internal affairs. Zelensky had called on the Georgian authorities to show mercy towards Saakashvili and to transfer him to a clinic in Ukraine, Europe, or the United States.

“It is impossible to watch a familiar person die in real-time. It is impossible to watch as the history of Georgia and its president are killed before the eyes of the entire civilized world. Ukraine is ready to accept Mikheil Saakashvili and guarantee his safety and proper treatment,” Podolyak wrote on Twitter.

During the presidency of Petro Poroshenko, Saakashvili briefly led the Odesa region but was later dismissed from his position. Poroshenko stated that Saakashvili not only failed to fulfill his promises to develop the region but also significantly worsened its economic indicators. In late July 2017, Poroshenko stripped Saakashvili of Ukrainian citizenship. The politician received a Ukrainian passport again during Zelensky's presidency.