According to Droa party leader Elene Khoshtaria, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s initiative, the so-called “Carpathian Eight,” is directly linked to Georgia’s security, and “if the government were not pro-Russian, it would be not only a participant in this initiative, but also one of the active leaders in the region.”

In a letter, Khoshtaria, who is currently in detention, wrote that the opposition could also begin discussions with its partners in this direction and that doing so would be very useful.

“Zelenskyy’s initiative for the Carpathian countries, the so-called Carpathian Eight, which includes Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, the Czech Republic, Austria and Serbia, is a very important initiative and is directly linked to our security. This initiative responds to the need for a regional security system in the modern world.

In today’s world, it is impossible not to recognize the need to create smaller and more mobile regional institutions alongside existing security institutions. As early as the 19th century, when the countries of Central and Eastern Europe were divided among the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and Russian Empires and liberal national movements became increasingly active, virtually every country in Eastern Europe understood that, under conditions of independence, being left alone with Russia posed a major threat.

Many countries chose to remain within Austria-Hungary with greater autonomy rather than establish themselves as separate states, because even then they understood the destructive power of the Russian Empire. Historically, from ancient times onward, this part of Eastern Europe has consistently been wary of Russia.

If we look at history, from the 19th century to the present day, there has never been peace in Eastern Europe when states were not protected by some form of collective security institution. One of the clearest examples is the negotiations between Stalin and Hitler over the division of Eastern Europe—the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Central European countries, particularly Ukraine and Poland, experienced immense bloodshed when the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany divided them. Whenever these countries were left alone, Russia posed the greatest threat to them.

Today, we face a similar problem. Following the end of the Cold War, the independent states of Eastern Europe were finally established, but it took them years to join collective security organizations such as NATO and the European Union. Accordingly, Russia quickly found room to pursue its destructive policies, and we became caught up in this as well.

However, in the 21st century, the geographical scope of international relations has expanded, and it is now inevitable that internal regional security institutions should be developed within NATO and the European Union.

It is precisely in this historical and contemporary context that Zelenskyy’s initiative is the only correct initiative that will bring peace to the region. We have a very important role here. Naturally, Ukraine is the leader. The Baltic and Balkan regions, Turkey and the South Caucasus are also important. This means our country’s region, and in the South Caucasus we have a historic opportunity: for the first time in centuries, it has become possible to create a united bloc based on common interests that will be part of European collective security.

This is precisely what NATO’s 2030 strategy envisions. Therefore, Zelenskyy’s initiative means adapting to modern challenges and working toward peace, while recognizing the moment when a regional Europe is necessary.

Naturally, if our government were not pro-Russian but national, it would certainly be not only a participant in this initiative but also one of the active leaders in the region. It would take an active role in the South Caucasus, with Ukraine and the Baltic states, and Georgia would be a leading state in creating this zone of security and peace within the European Union.

Of course, this requires a government, but under the Georgian Dream… the opposition can also begin discussions with our partners in this direction, and it would be very useful,” Khoshtaria wrote in her letter.

For reference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the creation of a new cooperation format, the “Carpathian Eight,” which will bring together Ukraine and seven European countries, as well as the European Union.

“We are launching a new C8 format - the ‘Carpathian Eight,’ which brings together us and our neighbors in Europe: Romania, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary and, of course, the European Union as a whole,” the Ukrainian president said.

According to him, this regional cooperation format is intended to bring the aforementioned countries closer together and create another element of cooperation at the EU level, covering issues of security, energy, logistics and cross-border economic cooperation.