On 20 August 2026, the UN Security Council, at a closed session, in connection with the 18th anniversary of the Russia-Georgia war, discussed the situation in the territories of Georgia occupied by Russia and the issue of the Russia-Georgia conflict. This information is released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.
According to the agency, within the framework of the session, the Assistant Secretary-General of the UN for the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Mohamed Khaled Khiari, delivered a briefing and provided the members of the Council with updated information on the situation on the ground and the process of the Geneva International Discussions.
“After the end of the session, representatives of the member states of the Security Council – the United Kingdom, France, Latvia, Denmark and Greece, as well as of the future member states of the Council – Austria and Portugal, presented a joint statement to the media.
In the statement, the representatives of the above-mentioned countries noted that 18 years have passed since Russia’s full-scale military aggression against the territories of Georgia, Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, and the subsequent illegal occupation. Russia’s invasion of Georgia in August 2008 showed the beginning of Russia’s more aggressive policy towards its neighbours. Russia continues on this path with its unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Ukraine and with irresponsible and dangerous actions carried out against neighbouring countries.
The statement firmly supports Georgia’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. It condemns the brutal invasion of Russian military forces into Georgia in violation of the UN Charter and the ongoing illegal military presence, as well as the exercise of effective control and the steps taken towards the annexation of the two regions, including the so-called ‘Agreement on Deepening Allied Cooperation’ signed between Russia and the Tskhinvali occupation regime on 9 May 2026.
The countries welcomed the decision of the Republic of Nauru to revoke the recognition of the ‘Republic of Abkhazia’ and the ‘Republic of South Ossetia’ as independent states. At the same time, they called on those states that have recognised the so-called independence of Georgia’s occupied regions to follow Nauru’s example and respect Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.
In the statement, the representatives of the countries condemned the ongoing provocations by the Russian Federation in Georgia’s occupied territories, militarisation, the launch of illegal air, sea and railway traffic, and violations of security and human rights on the ground.
They also recalled the decisions of international courts, which have repeatedly confirmed the responsibility of the Russian Federation, as the entity exercising effective control on the ground, for serious human rights violations, including killings of the civilian population, facts of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, and others.
The document notes with deep concern the fact that Russia has not fulfilled the obligations undertaken under the ceasefire agreement of 12 August 2008 mediated by the European Union to withdraw its forces to the lines existing before the start of hostilities and to ensure the unimpeded access of international human rights monitoring mechanisms, such as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The joint statement also emphasises the necessity of protecting the rights of internally displaced persons and refugees and the importance of creating conditions for their safe, dignified and unimpeded return to their homes.
According to the statement, the countries remain committed to the Geneva International Discussions (GID) and support the continuation of the meetings of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms in Ergneti, while calling for the immediate resumption of the Gali meetings.
The participants of the statement once again call on Russia to fully fulfil the obligations undertaken under the 2008 ceasefire agreement and to immediately withdraw its troops from the territory of Georgia. They also call on Russia to revoke the recognition of the independence of Georgia’s two regions, not to hinder the creation of international security mechanisms on the ground, and to allow international human rights and humanitarian organisations into both regions.
In conclusion, the countries emphasise the need for a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Georgia conflict on the basis of international law, including the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act.
See the joint statement: https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k12/k122fjqvbc,” – it is noted in the information released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.
