On the 17th anniversary of the start of the Russian-Georgian war in 2008, France and Germany reaffirmed their support for Georgia's territorial integrity and condemned Russia's actions in the conflict.

French Ambassador to Tbilisi Sheraz Ghasri said that Paris once again calls on Moscow to respect Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to fulfill the obligations it assumed under the agreement brokered by the European Union. Ghasri also stressed the importance of remembering the victims of "Russia's aggressive war against Georgia" in 2008.

The German Embassy in Georgia, in turn, marked the anniversary of the start of the armed conflict between Russia and Georgia, emphasizing that August 7, 2008 was a tragic date.

Let us recall that the war that broke out in 2008 around the Tskhinvali region and lasted five days ended with the signing of a ceasefire agreement. According to official data, the conflict claimed the lives of more than 400 Georgian citizens and led to about 30 thousand people becoming internally displaced. Seventeen years later, 20% of Georgia's territory remains under Russian control (Abkhazia and South Ossetia). In addition, the terms of the ceasefire agreement of August 12, 2008, in particular the withdrawal of Russian troops to pre-war positions, have still not been fulfilled.