What is the key solution: to be pragmatic and wait for further development or is there any chance of improvement of relations?
When the question is posed regarding the existence of a post-Soviet space even in the modern world, the answer is simple - yes, it surely exists. It should be noted that it is more at the mental level, rather than territorial, linguistic, or related to particular nations. Thus, the Soviet Union still remains in the mentalities of people and interestingly enough, some of those people have not even lived in the Soviet Union and have no idea what it actually was.
The main reason for the circumstance is definitely nostalgia coming from their parents or other social circles and it is the proof that “post-Sovietism” still exists, especially in their minds. It is a very deep-rooted problem and we are fighting against it on a daily basis in Georgia. The situation is the same for Ukraine, Moldova, and countries that still remain outside Europe.
Prof. Philipp Ther mentioned in his opening speech the strange language when the Ukrainians are talking about ‘Europe’ as something else that Ukraine is not a part of. Broadly speaking, they are talking about political Europe and not geographic Europe. Political Europe, unfortunately, up untill now is quite far and never was about them. It is distancing itself more and more, rather than the opposite.
Obviously, I can say the same about Georgia. Sometimes we have a feeling in Georgia that we are invisible. The world does not see what and in what forms is happening in our country, as if the world always needs a second example in order to wake up. A vivid recent example is the years 2008 and 2014. 2008 never served as a wake-up call and later it was followed by the occupation of Crimea which has been alarming for the West.
Philipp Ther has also described the new era for Russia after the breakdown of the Soviet Union. “New, different Russia” was described as being democratic, having a peaceful neighborhood policy. It appears that in Georgia we have missed that Russia, we have never seen it. Russia has never been invisible for us, has never hidden its true interventionist face and intentions, Russian soldiers have always been openly fighting and engaging in military actions against Georgian sovereignty, it has never been secret to anyone.
Every time I hear the expression ‘New Russia’, I sense an intensifying feeling that we all live in an invisible world, where nobody understands the severity of problems Georgia has been suffering from day one of its independence. The only difference between the 2008 Georgian-Russian war and the war in Abkhazia is that at that time, there was no Facebook, Twitter, no CNN and BBC cameras to observe the conflict, document the war and to show the world brutality of Russia’s war against newly independent country - Georgia.
During the conference the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Baltic states has been mentioned. Georgia is a different case, as they never have left. Unfortunately, the biggest part of the skepticism about ‘political Europe’ amongst certain parts of people in Georgia is based on this. At some point in history, they were even brought back by the West, under the names of the UN or OSCE. It was seen as Russia came back with a legitimated mandate, not as a peacekeeper but as some of my colleagues like to say back home, for keeping the pieces of Georgia for themselves. In that regard, the phrase “They are for keeping the pieces, rather than keeping peace in Georgia” is very popular in Georgia. Moreover, in 2008 they came back again massively, and now we have four different military bases on the territory of Georgia and additionally, 10 000 Russian soldiers as an occupying force remaining in the country.
Here arises the primary question - what is the real motivation for Russia? What is it trying to prove in a small country like Georgia? The audience here [in Vienna] will never believe in the narrative that Russia’s motivation was the warm, sunny beaches in Abkhazia or that they fell in love with Georgian cuisine so deeply that they wanted to keep it for themselves forever. Surely, those are not the real reasons.
As being a broken record player, we always have the same responses to those questions. Every time Russia fights in Georgia, they do not fight Georgians, they fight the West. In fact, they fight the enlargement process of NATO, of the European Union, the freedom and ‘political West’ getting closer to Russian borders. Every time Russian soldiers are shooting on the territory of Georgia or grabbing another territory, they are proving their point and pointing out their influence. They prove that it is their neighborhood - they are dominant and that there is no power in the world that can stop them. It can be understood as delegitimizing Washington, Brussels, London, Berlin- capitals of the ‘political West’, rather than proving anything to Georgians. The fact is obvious: we are never going to win the war against Russia, ever. Especially, if we are alone in it.
As to the expansion and readiness of Georgia, Ukraine, or Moldova to become members either of NATO or the EU, there are several important things worth mentioning. We have a certain feeling that a new iron curtain is being built and this time by Western powers, in contrast to the time when the Soviet Union built it. This Iron Curtain goes along the EU and NATO’s eastern borders. There is a situation in today’s world, that whatever happens beyond the eastern borders of NATO or the EU, is not their concern anymore. Of course, it affects the political proceedings and regardless of any political statements, Russia is doing whatever it desires to do on a daily basis. Constant refusal of membership is an approval that Russia is a veto-power country.
Particularly, in the case of NATO, there is no single objective reason why Georgia should not be its member. Especially when it comes to standards, the readiness of the army, or any other bullet point-requirements written in any document adopted by NATO. It appears that the reason is the elephant in the room with a veto power, who is not allowing the decision to be made. And thus, the decision is not made.
This is how we strengthen Russia. This is how we make them powerful and put them in the driver’s seat, setting the agenda for the rest of the world. Their power is unlimited, Putin does whatever he desires to neighbors, as well as to much larger-scale former Soviet space because he is capable of doing so.
If we summarize the issue, if we really want to prove that we are in charge of political processes, it may seem an egoistic approach, but membership of Georgia and Ukraine is the key to the puzzle, this is what makes sure that Russia understands how decisions can really be made, who could make them, and that they are not in charge of everything. As long as we keep pushing those countries outside the Alliance or the Union, we make Russia stronger.
Tinatin Khidasheli, Chair of Civic IDEA, former Georgian Defense Minister