ST. PETERSBURG, June 4. /TASS/. Russia strives to build relations with Georgia based on the principles of good-neighborliness and mutual respect and is making every effort to do so, but "this must be a two-way street." Moscow hopes that Tbilisi will listen to the voice of the Georgian people, see real prospects and opportunities in developing relations between the countries, and seize these opportunities, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.
During a news briefing on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), she emphasized that Russia strives to build contacts with Georgia on a good-neighborly basis, based on the principles of equality and mutual respect.
"Much has already been accomplished in trade, transportation, tourism, and humanitarian exchanges - everything is already developing," she noted.
According to Zakharova, the fact that ties between Moscow and Tbilisi in these areas are not only continuing but are actually growing is a wonderful trend. "I would like to remind you that important preconditions for this were the decisions made in 2023 by Russian President [Vladimir Putin] to resume air travel and waive visas for short-term visits by Georgian citizens, who can now see everything with their own eyes," she noted.
