Ukraine's Foreign Ministry Criticizes Georgian Dream Party's Public Relations: Authorities Submit to Moscow's Influence
Georgia's ruling party, Georgian Dream, has been under fire for their election campaigns that use footage of destruction caused by Russia's aggression against Ukraine. This practice, seen as early as the 2024 parliamentary elections and continuing into the 2025 local elections, juxtaposes images of war-torn Ukrainian cities with scenes of restored buildings, parks, and roads in Georgia, accompanied by slogans like "Choose peace" and "No to war"[1][2][4].
The approach has sparked significant controversy and criticism, particularly from Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry has condemned Georgian Dream's use of Ukrainian war footage for political advertising as cynical and disrespectful to Ukraine's suffering. The ministry described it as an unfriendly action aiding Moscow's interests and accused the Georgian ruling party of ignoring the values of dignity and independence historically associated with the Georgian nation[1][2][3][5].
The Ukrainian MFA called the campaign "cynical", urging Georgian strategists to reflect a "more truthful image" by showing the Russian flag and the "closed doors" of the EU and NATO—highlighting Georgian Dream's perceived failure to advance Georgia's European integration[1][2][3][5].
Domestically, the campaign also drew criticism from Georgia's political opposition and social media users, who argued that portraying cities like Tbilisi as peaceful contrasted painfully with local incidents, including a child's electrocution at a renovated park featured in the ads. The opposition accused Georgian Dream of turning the capital into a "city of death" and using the war imagery to obscure domestic problems[1][4].
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine continues to support the independent, democratic, and European aspirations of the people of Georgia[6]. The ministry has previously described the actions of the Georgian Dream party as unfriendly, exploitative, contemptuous, and outrageous[7]. However, as of the current writing, the ministry has not made any new statements regarding the principles of dignity and independence, the justified outrage in Ukrainian society, or the Russian tricolour and the closed doors of the EU and NATO[8][9].
References: [1] https://www.civil.ge/archives/328327 [2] https://www.georgiatoday.ge/news/35220/Georgian-Dream-campaign-video-sparks-controversy-over-Ukrainian-war-footage [3] https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/georgia-election-campaign-video-ukraine-war-footage/31612418.html [4] https://www.interpressnews.ge/en/georgia/446863/opposition-accuses-georgian-dream-of-using-ukraine-war-footage-to-obscure-domestic-problems [5] https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-world/3567100-ukrainian-mfa-condemns-georgian-dream-for-using-ukrainian-war-footage-for-political-advertising.html [6] https://www.mfa.gov.ua/en/pressoffice/news/2021/december/29/ukrainian-mfa-supports-independent-democratic-and-european-aspirations-of-the-people-of-georgia [7] https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-world/3567100-ukrainian-mfa-condemns-georgian-dream-for-using-ukrainian-war-footage-for-political-advertising.html [8] https://www.mfa.gov.au/news/press-releases/ukraines-mfa-issues-response-to-georgian-dream-party/ [9] https://www.mfa.gov.ua/en/pressoffice/news/2021/december/29/ukrainian-mfa-supports-independent-democratic-and-european-aspirations-of-the-people-of-georgia
Read also:
- Southwest region's most popular posts, accompanied by an inquiry:
- Discussion between Putin and Trump in Alaska could potentially overshadow Ukraine's concerns
- Massive 8.8 earthquake hits off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, prompting Japan to issue a tsunami alert.
- Tinubu's administration allegedly causing issues within every political party as Peter Obi's name surfaces - Obidient Movement asserts
