Prime Minister of Georgia took part in a panel discussion titled Partnership in a Multipolar Era within the framework of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Irakli Kobakhidze spoke about the role of diplomacy, noting that diplomacy holds a very different kind of power in times of war and peace.

“At present, we are existing in conditions of war. There are various wars unfolding around us and in this situation, based on our experience, I can say that the power of diplomacy is very weak. In February 2022, we received a request to engage in the Russia-Ukraine military conflict. The second request came toward the end of February 2022. The political pressure on Georgia in this matter was quite harsh. This situation, of course, did not serve the interests of our country. We had to engage in an extremely intense political struggle to protect Georgia’s national interests and to ensure peace in our country. This was purely a political battle, without the power of diplomacy. We continue to face these challenges today-we are forced to focus on fighting for our country"s peace and prosperity rather than relying on diplomatic instruments with various countries.

At present, political interests prevail over diplomatic tools. But once peace is restored-we are absolutely convinced-diplomacy will prevail. Diplomacy is a more positive instrument for protecting national interests than harsh political interests. That’s why we are patiently awaiting the arrival of peace, when diplomacy will prevail”, - said the Head of the Georgian Government.