Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has said that Georgia experienced the great tragedy that is happening in Ukraine today.

"We, Georgia and the Georgian people have already paid a great price in 2008," PM Garibashvili said at a joint press conference with Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in Batumi.

According to him, "unfortunately, after the August war, no sanctions were imposed on Russia by the world leaders in 2008."

"I would like to recall President Kaczynski, who loudly called on Western leaders to make decisive and bold decisions regarding Georgia's European integration. After the August war we saw renewed policies towards Russia, new trade and economic projects and no sanctions unfortunately. Moreover, unfortunately, even our Georgian government at that time did not impose sanctions on Russia. Only diplomatic relations were severed; After the war, unfortunately, it [Georgian government] handed over, sold strategic energy facilities to Russian state-owned companies and also unilaterally lifted visa requirements for Russian citizens and supported Russia's membership in the WTO, which happened after the war. As a result, Georgia is still occupied, the status quo has not changed, 20 percent of our country is occupied. We have to deal with the occupation on a daily basis, the challenge associated with borderization, the kidnapping and jailing of our citizens. Unfortunately, we have a lot of tragic facts, whether they are killed or died. This is the reality that has been created in our country since the August war. We are well aware of the great tragedy that is happening in Ukraine today," Georgian PM said.